13-07-2025
I was scared to take the plunge at new Nottinghamshire attraction Saunahood but I've never felt more alive
I love a good hot bath. It's my favourite way to unwind at the end of a busy day. Failing that, a steaming hot shower. Cold water? No thank you. Thinking back to Wim 'The Iceman' Hof a few years ago, it gave me palpitations when his programme Freeze the Fear saw a number of celebrities immersing themselves in icy water.
So why I agreed to visit a new Nottinghamshire attraction that combines a sauna with a plunge in cold water I do not know. I've no worries over the sauna part. I've sat and sweated my socks off in a wooden cabin many times although I've never understood why the Finnish ruin the ritual of a nice hot sauna by rolling in the snow afterwards. Each to their own.
Running through the essentials to take to Saunahood, the website lists a towel, swimming costume, flip flops and water bottle. The latter is to stay hydrated but it did cross my mind to take a hot water bottle to warm up afterwards.
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I feel as rigid as a block of ice when I pull up at the site at Holme Pierrepont Country Park's campsite, off Adbolton Lane, West Bridgford, for my first session of 'contrast therapy' as it's known. The new venture opened six weeks ago.
Tucked away in a leafy green part of the park are two plunge steel baths in front of the sauna. "Don't dip your hand in," says founder Ellen Tobin as I go to test the water. "It'll put you off later."
Ellen explains that contrast therapy simply means alternating between hot and cold environments, switching between the sauna that's around 70-80°C and the plunge pools which are set at 10°C. That sets my mind at ease at little - at least it's not sub zero.
But why? "When your body is in the hot environment your blood is pumped to the skin away from your core to try and cool you down - this is called vasodilating. In the plunge pool your body vasoconstricts - your blood goes to your vital organs and your core to protect you.
"Both of these scenarios put your body under a small amount of stress - you are kicking your heart into action to work harder and giving your vascular system a great work out. The idea is that when you experience stress in life your body will be much more adept to dealing with it, and can keep you stable as it's been exercising the stress response with contrast therapy."
Benefits from the heat include loosening the muscles and joints, a detox, improved cardiovascular function, lowering stress hormones and better sleep. The cold element reduces muscle soreness and swelling, boosts mood, builds mental resilience and stress tolerance and activates the parasympathetic nervous system so you experience a post-cold "calm".
That's the science but what about the reality? Changing into my swimming costume as slowly as possibly to delay the inevitable, the time has come to step inside the sauna within a beautifully restored horse box. Until now the only revamped horse boxes I'm familiar with are the ones selling pizza or prosecco.
It's a roasting hot day but it's even hotter inside with the wood-fired stove pumping out intense heat. I'm joined by Ellen, who hands me a pixie-like cap which protects the ears and head from the heat - particularly useful if you're bald.
After five minutes or so, it's time to switch. I ask if it's better to dip your toe in and take it steadily or just go for it. As I fear, it's the latter. The water is every bit as horrendously cold as I imagine... so cold it hurts. The trick is to stay as still as possible because the more you move around the worse it is. As I grimace throughout, Nottinghamshire Live's photographer Joe tells me to imagine it's warm. It doesn't help.
I brave it for longer than I was expecting though. Then it's back to the sauna and repeat several times within the 50-minute session, which ends with a final dip in the plunge bath. It's just as cold as the first time but it's more tolerable and I'm actually laughing and enjoying looking up at the blue sky and trees in the scenic setting.
The contrast of hot and cold is said to speed up recovery after workouts or endurance events, improve circulation and regulate your body's stress response. It sounds like something serious athletes and high-pressured business executives would book themselves into it but it's attracting all demographics and ages, from a medal-winning para canoeist (who takes a book to read in the plunge bath) to families.
Ellen said: "Guests are on day-dates, celebrating birthdays, looking for a way to unwind and reset at the end of the week - or just get time out for themselves. It's been a real joy to welcome people and see everyone embracing the ancient art of sweat bathing - coming together to cleanse the body and reset the mind."
A maximum of eight people can book a private session or six for a communal session, costing £15 each for 50 minutes. Ellen said: "Feedback has been amazing. People are leaving glowing and talking about how lovely they feel and also making connections with others. The sound of laughter coming from the sauna and guests saying 'lovely to meet you' as they leave is really heart-warming.
"It's about connection with others, time away from technology and all the distractions and stresses of life. Guests are coming back time and again and building contrast therapy into their weekly routine. I can't ask for more than that."
The experience is undoubtedly life-affirming. Before I tried it I thought I would hate every second. Afterwards I feel amazing; energised but with an inner calm. I'm glad I stepped out of my comfort zone and, even though I thought it would be torture, it was fun. I might even return in the winter when it snows.
Saunahood is open on Friday from 12pm to 6pm and weekends 10am to 4pm. Book online at
