Why the British beach sauna trend is everything your body and mind needs right now

I’m at Blackpool Sands beach in south Devon, discovering the reason behind the rise in ‘wild’ saunas. They’re popping up everywhere.

“It’s amazing for mental and physical health,” says Ben Brierley, the owner of the beach sauna, which sits on the stony sands like a tipped over barrel waiting for us to roll in. “I have pretty high spirits generally, but when I come out of a hot and cold session, I feel even better.”

We pile in, bundling our belongings in a small changing area at one end and laying a towel on the wooden benches so as not to burn our bums.

The 40C sauna is bookable for 50-minute sessions. You can either pay £15 per person, or £59 for a private booking – it seats four comfortably. Ben advises 10 minutes of heat, before a dip in the sea or standing under the outdoor shower, where the water temperature is even colder than the ocean.

He describes the power of the sauna as feeling like a natural wetsuit, and although it sounds odd, it’s true.

I am constantly cold. Even the perimenopause can do little to warm my hands and feet, so I come armed with a wetsuit, dryrobe, booties, gloves – all the winter warmers. But I need none of them.

The heat from the sauna somehow stores itself inside of you, and the coldness helps the sauna feel less claustrophobic and hard to breathe in. It’s win-win.

Our 50-minute session allows us two cold dips in the sea and one cold shower, with burning hot saunas in between. After two rounds, I start to feel light-headed, and afterwards, I feel like I’m floating; alive, awake and absolutely wonderful.

It’s easy to see why it’s such a hit. Booked out day and night, 365 days a year (Christmas Day is very popular) this particular sauna has been a huge success since it was installed 18 months ago.

Ben now has plans to add two more, and is looking at other Devon beach destinations, too.

With the growth in wild swimming over the last few years, adding a sauna into the mix makes it accessible to everyone, and the health benefits of both hot and cold therapy are well documented. Improved blood circulation, mental clarity and a brilliant mood are instant results I can certainly vouch for.

Once showered, dry and changed, we stumble over to Blackpool Sands restaurant.

There’s a lunch rush as we take our table for two, looking straight out on to the beach. The simple tables and chairs sit beneath a canopy of bamboo canes with repurposed coffee sacks sewn into giant embroidery looms, trussed up to the ceiling and overspilling with faux greenery.

We feast on spiced cauliflower (£18) and a smashed burger (£18.50) which both come with piles of skin-on fries, and wholeheartedly agree it deserves the 2024 Best Devon Attraction Café of the Year award.

Our bed for the night is an hour’s drive away, still on Devon’s beautiful coast, at Cary Arms & Spa.

Staying in one of their beach huts – one-bedroom mini-apartments – we watch cormorants diving for fish from our deck, the curve of the cove reaching around in front of us.

The interior has a creatively cool vibe to it. A burnt orange sofa welcomes us through the bifold doors, topped with plump, earthy-coloured cushions and a crackling fake fire.

The curtains sweep the floor looking like they’ve been daubed in an artist’s brush strokes, and the Jaffa Cake-orange Smeg fridge houses free wine, water and soft drinks.

A mezzanine floor means we can see from the bed to the ocean, through a perfectly placed porthole window, and the patter of the rain feels close as we sleep in the eaves.

Dinner is a quiet delight, sat in the cosy restaurant. Guests can opt for the low-lit bar area, or the airier conservatory looking out on to the terrace.

At breakfast, we watch the light move over the cove, rusty red soil tumbling down towards the surf, as we gobble up seared bubble and squeak topped with the ‘ginormous’ yolk of a fried duck egg.

We read newspapers at the table like it’s the 1990s and feel the pace of life slow to a halt. If it wasn’t for the M People soundtrack, we could have sat there for hours.

Before we return to normality, we squeeze in a quick visit to the spa.

I peek out of the glass door as I sit on a hot tiled bench, steam shushing all around me. The last patch of beach finally disappears as the mist takes over, blurring my vision and forcing my eyes shut.

I inhale deeply, as I attempt some sort of facial massage I’m sure will make me look younger when I exit the steam room.

The sunken, jet-studded beds in the spa pool look out over Babbacombe Bay and I lay, relaxing on a lounger, with the entire space all to myself.

When the rain pours, I book myself in for the Gaia Calming Journey (£110).

The therapist gently pummels the knots out of my neck and shoulders before pouring hot oil in my hair, massaging my scalp, arms and hands, while I blissfully disconnect with life and fall asleep.

British beach escapes really are the answer to winter wellness.

How to book your trip: Luxury Seaview Rooms at Cary Arms & Spa start from £350 per night B&B and from £450 B&B for a beach hut. Cottage rates start from £390 per night. Call 01803 327 110 or visit caryarms.co.uk