Imagine relaxing in your own personal sauna, switching off from the outside world and taking in the beautiful sea views. This can be your reality on your next visit to Elie. Keep reading for more about Elie’s Seaside Saunas and why they should be top of your to-do list when visiting East Neuk.
About Elie’s Seaside Saunas
If you’re planning a trip to Elie, a visit to one of Elie’s Seaside Saunas is an absolute must! Not only do they offer a unique experience you won’t find anywhere else, but they also boast a host of health benefits. Born out of a passion for sea-swimming and inspired by the Nordic mobile sauna movement, Elie’s two saunas offer a much-needed escape and a place to relax, find peace and reconnect. Opening with one sauna, it proved so popular with both visitors and locals, the owners added a second sauna to the portfolio to ensure there is plenty of space for everyone to visit and experience all the benefits a sauna has to offer. The original sauna, (named “Dune”), is available for private hire and the new “Shore” sauna is available for individual seat bookings. As the sauna names indicate, they are both located in the picturesque seaside town of Elie. Perched on the dunes at the harbour they boast unrivalled views over the sea, sandy beach and far-off cliffs. The saunas are heated by a wood-burning stove and reaches temperatures between 70-100°C. Perfectly positioned angled towards the sun, the full-length, heat-tempered glass allows users to take in the views and enjoy the sunset from the warmth of their own cosy hub.
Sauna Benefits
There are tremendous health benefits to taking saunas. To make the most of the experience it is advised that users should switch from hot to cold every 10 to 15 minutes, enabling their bodies to cool down in between with the aid of a plunge in the cool waters of Elie Harbour. This process allows users to experience the full benefits which include:
- Cardiovascular
– It gets your blood pumping, lowers blood pressure and builds up a resilience to cardiovascular disease.
– The metabolic benefits of sauna use are similar to that of a 5k run. So, great for people with limited mobility, or who take little exercise. But, if combined with regular exercise, have an amazing effect on health and wellbeing. - Mood enhancing
– Saunas raise mood, through the release of serotonin, dopamine and oxytocin.
– Saunas, also make you more receptive to the endorphins that you get from a dip in the sea and help reduce anxiety and alleviate loneliness, by being in nature, being in the moment and spending time with other humans. - Pain-relief
– The dopamine and endorphins produced through the hot/cold switch, reduces mental, emotional and physical pain. Having time to process thoughts and feelings, can bring something that seemed set to overwhelm you back into proportion. - Anti-inflammatory
– The hot/cold switching reduces inflammation throughout your whole body and massively improves joint health and well-being. - Improved brain, liver and organ function
– After a sauna you glow inside and out, you’ve pumped oxygen and nutrients, to all your organs, including your skin, which will reflect in your appearance, along with your skin having undergone a full exfoliation, via the increased circulation of your blood, particularly to the surface of your skin. - Fun and sociable
– Having a sauna is about disengaging with the material world – de-adulting, in a way – and realising that happiness is about contentment, being grateful for what you’ve got.
– Sauna is very much an ethos. It’s a great way to socialise that does not involve alcohol. It’s very democratic and a great way to feel good about yourself and make friends. - Vitamin Sea and D
– The connection with nature’s elements of fire, earth, air and water, calms the nervous system and puts everything in perspective. Plus, with your body exposed to the sun’s rays, on route to the sea, you are giving yourself a dose of health-boosting Vitamin D! - …oh and Sleep
– A drop in core body temperature, brought on by drawing blood to the surface of your skin, prepares your body for rest and increases your chances of a good night’s contented and restorative, quality sleep.
How to book Elie’s Seaside Saunas
You can choose to book a sauna for private sessions (Dune Sauna) or individual seats (Shore Sauna) via their website. Private users can book a one-hour session (or longer) either as an individual or as a group. Experiencing Elie’s Seaside Sauna is truly a magical place that everyone visiting the area should experience so we advise booking ahead of time, especially in the busy summer months, as the saunas can understandably very popular! The sauna’s founder & owner, Judith, also runs yoga classes which are available for visitors too so why not really get those endorphins flowing at a yoga class followed by a relaxing sauna session? The perfect way to spend a morning or afternoon in Elie!
If you’re looking for other things to add to your itinerary when you visit Elie, read our blog post which will give you plenty of inspiration for things to do in the area. And if you’re looking for a place to stay to explore East Neuk, click here to browse our self-catering holiday homes in Elie. We can’t wait to welcome you!
Photography Credit © Suzanne Black