A Saunter and a Sauna

Wherever you are in Wales you’re likely not far away from a beachside sauna. The Scandinavian imports have been popping up the length and breadth of the Wales Coast Path in recent years, nestled on sandy shores, hidden coves and popular promenades. As we enter the New Year, we look at some of the best saunas along the Wales Coast Path to finish at after a crisp, wintry stroll with friends and family this January.

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Three Cliffs to Oxwich Bay and Tŷ Sawna

When the tide is out, Three Cliffs and Oxwich Bay in Gower expands into one sweeping bayscape, making it easy to walk from one beach to the other and take in the calm of this secluded corner of Wales. If you’d rather take your time and not be limited by the tide, take the longer, 12 kilometre coastal route above the sand dunes and headland – with the extended length comes even more breathtaking views from the cliffs of Gower.

Finish your walk at Tŷ Sawna on Oxwich Bay, a woodfired sauna launched in 2022 by Harri Barker. This stripped-back sauna experience is perfect for hikers, sea swimmers, surfers, and wellbeing enthusiasts to warm up and recharge after a cold dip. Fired by a Harvia wood burning stove and boasting views of the beach through a half-moon window, there is no better way to unwind after a frosty walk through the UK’s first National Landscape. 

Tenby to Saundersfoot and Sea and Steam

Two of the most famous South Pembrokeshire seaside towns? In one glorious stroll? Absolutely. Start this 7 kilometre stroll from the famous South Beach of Tenby towards the town of Saundersfoot, home to the perfectly situated St Brides Hotel and the recently re-imagined Lan y Môr restaurant, previously called Coast, created by culinary royalty Hywel Griffith (The Beach House) and Gerwyn Jones (The Grove at Narberth). The route is a challenging but rewarding one, offering views of South Pembrokeshire you can only get from the Coast Path.

Finish up at Sea and Steam on Saundersfoot beach, owned by two local ladies, Kerry and Bryony, who met at a wellness event a few years ago and the rest was history. Sea and Steam is all about keeping it local and supporting Saundersfoot’s biodiversity, with the wood used in the sauna sourced from a local family business. A dreamy way to end a day of walking.

North Pembrokeshire Coast National Park and Wildwater Sauna

Despite being the same county North Pembrokeshire and South Pembrokeshire couldn’t be more different. The North of Pembrokeshire offers a more secluded, rugged and earthy escape than its southern sister, including iconic locations like St Davids, the UK’s smallest city, the Blue Lagoon of Abereiddy and the Dinas Head Peninsula.

Roaming around this beautiful part of Wales is Wildwater Sauna, a woodfired, luxury, mobile sauna which has no fixed address, but switches locations according to the seasons and tides. Currently stationed at Pwllgwaelod Beach on Dinas Head, take the 12 kilometre circular route around the rugged headland before finishing up at this handcrafted Scandi sauna that has been recognised as one of the ‘best saunas by the sea’ by The Times. Wildwater sauna travels up and down the coastline of North Pembrokeshire, perching itself on incredible beaches like Newgale, Whitesands, Porthclais and Nolton Haven, giving visitors the unique opportunity to take a dip in a different part of the coastline on each visit.

Penbryn to Llangrannog and Sawna Llosgi

From one golden stretch of sand to another, this stunning stretch of the Wales Coast Path starts at an atmospheric 13th century church in Penbryn, and finishes at Ceredigion’s most famous beach, Llangrannog. This 4 kilometeres walk isn’t for beginners, with steep inclines along the way, but it will reward your efforts with clifftop views and whispers of the Celtic legend that is so engrained in the county of Ceredigion. Revive after your exertion at Sawna Llosgi on Llangrannog beach, the first woodfired coastal sauna in Ceredigion, founded by local surfers Sam and Vinny. A Harvia wood burning stove fires this gem at one of Wales’ most renowned surfing spots.

Ynys Môn/Anglesey and Sawna Bach

The Isle of Anglesey Coastal Path falls within a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and passes through landscapes that include a mixture of farmland, coastal heath, dunes, saltmarsh, foreshore, cliffs and a few small pockets of woodland, including a National Nature Reserve (NNR). It has walking routes in abundance but the 12 kilometre circular loop of Rhosneigr and Tŷ Croes circular, which boasts views across Tremadoc Bay towards the Llŷn Peninsula also has the added bonus of Sawna Bach, which you’ll find tucked away in the sand dunes of Porth Tyn Tywyn beach. Restorative during sunny days and cosy during the winter drizzle, the wood fired sauna is split over two levels with a large window overlooking the beach, enjoy views of the Llŷn Peninsula and offers monthly communal Full Moon sessions.