A wood-fired, nordic style mobile sauna
Keeping folks warm and well along the wild shores and riversides of the Moray Firth.
Sauna Experiences
Findhorn Beach
Communal sessions
60 mins
We offer pay-per-seat sauna sessions for individuals to book. Book in solo and meet new people, or come with friends.
Findhorn beach
Private group sessions
60 mins
Book for a private solo sauna, as a couple, or gather your friends to share a private group session.
Event Private Hire
at your venue
If you’d like to include a sauna experience as part of your event, we can bring the sauna to your venue.
Special events
in extraordinary places
Every now and then the sauna pops up in extra special wild locations. Join us for a curated sauna experience.
Why Sauna?
Discover the physical, mental, social and wider wellbeing benefits.
Saunas have been around for a very long time. They have existed, in some form, in almost every temperate culture on Earth.
In Scotland, archaeologists have discovered neolithic saunas on Orkney dating back over 4000 years. For those of us living closer towards the poles, let’s just say saunas are in our blood.
What must have once been an instinctive attempt to warm ourselves through to the core, has now been scientifically proven to have a whole range of physiological and mental wellbeing benefits. Recent research has shown that saunas can help to reduce stress and anxiety and improve sleep by reducing cortisol levels, greatly support the cardiovascular and immune systems, combat chronic pain, and improve neurological function.
Beyond all this, we are firm believers that saunas are also just good for the soul. In these challenging times, coming together for a shared experience out in the elements can be nourishing and perspective-shifting. The crackle of the fire, the sound of the sea or river, the heat, the bracing cold plunge, the ever-changing weather, sunsets and night sky, the coming together of friends and strangers - all remind us of what’s most important, and helping to make us feel more present, connected, and alive.
Although in Scotland we’ve somehow lost our sauna culture along the way, perhaps there’s no better time for a revival than now.
The Sauna Build
Built in a vintage horse box and heated by a Finnish wood-fired sauna stove; we handcrafted the sauna over many months from carefully sourced materials to the very highest of standards and attention to detail.
The benches and cladding are built from sauna-grade Alder timber; a water-loving tree which gives its name to the headwaters of the watershed (Cóig na Feàrna, meaning ‘fifth of the Alder’). The wood-fired IKI stove was sourced directly from the sauna heartland of Finland. We poured over geological maps to identify the most appropriate local igneous rock to use with our stove, and then collected the beautiful Granite along the banks of the River Findhorn. The exterior cladding and bespoke handmade door are made from Douglas Fir grown, felled, and milled just a few miles away by our local saw mill.
All of these choices and details hold real meaning for us, and we hope they serve to foster a sense of place and deeper connection to the landscape, as part of the sauna experience.
A special mention needs to go to our dear friend Floyd, without whose generous support the sauna build simply wouldn’t have been possible. From lending us his workshop for the summer, to serving as wise build guide and mentor; Floyd has been a key ingredient to the Watershed Sauna journey.
Gift Vouchers available
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Gift Vouchers available •
Our Home
A community-owned coastal village where the River Findhorn meets the Moray Firth, set within the Findhorn watershed.
A former fishing village, Findhorn is located on the edge of Findhorn Bay and Local Nature Reserve, a sheltered estuary popular for sailing, containing a mosaic of salt marsh, tidal flat, and seagrass ecosystems. It is of outstanding nature conservation and scientific importance for coastal and riverine habitats, and a home for migrating geese and over-wintering waders, as well as summer nesting Osprey, and the occasional visiting Otter.
To the north of the village is the beautiful Findhorn beach and sand dunes, which stretches for nearly 8 miles east towards Roseisle and Burghead, offering views across the Moray Firth towards Cromarty and Sutherland, as well as glimpses of resident populations of Grey and Common Seals, and Bottlenose Dolphins.
In 2011 the residents of Findhorn village came together in a pioneering coordinated effort to undertake a community buyout of the 900 hectares of amenity land in and surrounding the village. In 2016, thanks to generous support from the Scottish Land Fund, the bid was successful and the ownership of the village land was transferred into the hands of the people who live here. To find out more about our community ownership, visit: The Findhorn Village Conservation Company.
Who are we?
👋 Hello, we’re Elle and Rupert
The Watershed Sauna is our side project that started out as a Scottish winter survival strategy. When we’re not doing our bit to revive the sauna culture of the Highlands, you will find us; working in sustainability through our consultancy and certified B Corp Living Alive, using our skills to help catalyse and accelerate nature restoration initiatives, growing vegetables in our shared village allotment, foraging, fermenting, pickling, and preserving seasonal goodies, and cooking and eating well around campfires out under the stars.
Introducing…
Watershed Sauna Bingo
At the beginning of the Summer 2024 we launched Watershed Sauna Bingo – a little bit of fun for our sauna regulars, to help nurture nature connection and a sense of planetary perspective as part of the sauna experience.
The rules are as follows:
There are 9 different species and spectacles to keep an eye out for during your sauna session. Just like in Bingo, as you spot them our Sauna Host will stamp your card and once you have a full house you will be able to claim your prize!
The first person to complete Sauna Bingo wins a 1hr Private session, and thereafter those who complete it will win a free seat in a Communal session.
It might take some time, as certain sightings require the right season or time of day to be spotted…
To claim your Bingo card just ask our Sauna Host on duty for your session.
2022-23 Winter Wellbeing Programme
Throughout January to March 2023 the Watershed Sauna partnered with The Findhorn Village Conservation Company to offer low-cost communal winter wellbeing sauna sessions for residents of the local community council area, thanks to funding from Inspiring Scotland & the Scottish Governments Rural & Island Communities Ideas into Action Fund.
FAQs
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The sauna is primarily based in Findhorn village, and operates from the East Beach carpark (click for the Google Maps link).
Occasionally we take the sauna on the road to host sauna experiences at other locations along the Moray Firth coast, next to the River Findhorn, or nearby Lochs. These special locations are indicated as part of the booking process for specific experiences.
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2 x towels (one for sitting on in the sauna, and one for drying off afterwards)
Water, at least 1L to help you stay hydrated, ideally in a refillable water bottle
Swimwear for wearing during the sauna; nudity is not permitted unless during a private booking
Sandals for use around the sauna
A warm coat for wrapping up afterwards
For the sake of sauna hygiene and fellow users experience, please shower and arrive fresh and clean for your session.
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The short answer is: not very many!
The mobile sauna is designed to be a simple, outdoor experience. There is no changing room, storage, shower, or toilet.
We suggest that where possible you arrive already changed into your swimwear underneath your clothes or robe, leaving as many belongings in the car as possible, and make sure to shower and use toilet facilities before joining us for your session.
In Findhorn, public toilets can be found in the West Beach carpark, here.
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We’re afraid not, sorry!
Due to a change in our insurance terms, as of October 2023 we sadly cannot accept children under the age of 16 in the sauna.
Depending on how self-sufficient they are, some people do bring their children to play outside on the beach whilst the adults enjoy the sauna, but this is strictly at the parent’s discretion and responsibility.
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Many people like to plan their sauna sessions according to the tide at Findhorn beach, and some who are coming for an evening session also like to also factor in where the moon is in its phases.
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Whilst the sauna only seats 6 people at a time, we are sometimes asked if people can book a 60 minute sauna session for a larger group to take turns.
We are happy to help facilitate this, but have also realised that the extra opening and closing of the door and additional cold bodies means that the wood stove needs extra stoking to keep the sauna up to temperature.
Our solution for this is to offer for folks to book a 60 minute session for up to 12 people, but ask that you pay a ‘Large group supplement’ of £5 per extra person when you book, to help cover the additional heating costs. You will see the option to do this as part of the booking process.
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Yes, absolutely. We offer 60 minute sessions as standard, but if you get in touch we can arrange for sessions of 90 mins, 2 or 3 hours, or even more. Just let us know what you have in mind and we’ll see what we can do.
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We operate the Watershed Sauna on a part-time basis around other projects. It is proving to be very popular, so slots are starting to be booked up well in advance.
We generally release new slots about 6 weeks ahead of time, and what you see on the booking calendar is what is currently available.
The best way to stay in touch and keep an eye out for any last-minute availability is via our Instagram page @watershedsauna.
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Yes please, we love to hear about peoples’ sauna experiences!
✍️ You can leave us a review on our Google Maps listing, here.
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Yes, you can indeed! Gift vouchers for a sauna experience make for great gifts.
Sauna gift vouchers for various prices and durations are available for purchase which can be redeemed by the recipient for a sauna session at a date of their choosing.
🎟️ These are available from our Gift Vouchers & Packages page
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If you have signs and symptoms of Covid-19, or any other acute respiratory illness we ask you not to participate in the sauna.
If you’ve made a booking which you are no longer able to attend due to illness, please get in touch. We will be happy to rearrange your sauna booking wherever possible.
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📍🗺️ Check out the British Sauna Society and discover the network saunas tucked away all around the UK and Ireland on these handy maps.
