Some saunas feel rushed and crowded and how shall we say it ARTIFICIAL in a busy gym settings! So what better way to truly relax during your sauna session than in nature itself! At Fire & Stars Sauna, our wood-fired sauna nestled in the woods offers a genuine quiet space to slow down and breathe deeply. With small group sauna sessions in the handcrafted Hekla Cube 250, you'll find the perfect mix of heat, fresh air, and calm to reset your body and mind.

The Magic of Fire & Stars Sauna

Imagine stepping away from your busy life and into the woodland, where time and the ambience of the setting immediately slows you down. The crackling of wood, the rustle of trees, and the warmth of a sauna await you. This is where TRUE relaxation begins.

Our whole ethos at Fire and Stars is to offer our visitors a TRUE and authentic experience.

BOOK YOUR SAUNA EXPERIENCE HERE

A Woodland Escape

The moment you arrive at Fire & Stars Sauna, the woodland welcomes you.

Many people visit saunas in busy buildings with artificial lighting and "piped-in music." But here, nature provides the soundtrack. The wind in the trees, the occasional rustle of leaves, and the soft crackle of the wood-fired sauna create a symphony that helps your mind let go of stress.

Your body knows when it's in nature. Your breathing slows. Your shoulders drop. Even before entering the sauna, you'll feel a shift in your nervous system as the woodland setting works its special magic on your senses.

Immersing yourself in nature isn't just pretty scenery—it's an active part of your healing experience.

Benefits of Nature Therapy

Forest bathing (spending time among trees) isn't just a nice way to pass time or a hippy concept. It's real medicine for your body and mind. When you combine forest therapy with sauna heat, the benefits multiply.

Studies show that just 20 minutes in nature lowers stress hormones in your blood. Your body responds to the natural compounds released by trees by reducing inflammation and boosting immune function. Add the deep heat of a sauna, and these effects grow stronger.

Blood pressure often drops after time in green spaces. Heart rates calm. Mental clarity improves. These aren't just claims—they're measured results from research on nature exposure.

What makes the Fire & Stars experience special is this powerful mix: nature's natural calm plus sauna heat equals deeper relaxation than either one alone. The trees prepare your system, and the sauna opens it up for healing.

You might be surprised how quickly this natural therapy works on even the most stressed of us.

Group Sauna Sessions Explained

Our small group sessions create the perfect balance between personal space and shared warmth. With a maximum of six people per session, you'll never feel crowded or rushed.

Each 45-minute session follows a time-tested pattern. Your first heat round we'd recommend to be about 15 minutes in the warm sauna. Your pores open as your muscles begin to soften.

Between heat rounds, you can step outside for cool, fresh air, again something that can't be done in a gym style setting. This contrast is where much of the magic happens. Your circulation jumps into high gear, sending oxygen-rich blood throughout your body. Again something you. We also have a cold water bath or a shower bucket plunge for those wanting even more of a contrast between but don't worry they are not essential as the cooler outdoor air alone also offers enough of a transition between sessions.

Most guests enjoy two to three heat cycles during their visit. The rhythm becomes natural: warm up, cool down, repeat. No watches, no phones, just your body's signals guiding you.

I know you are wondering if group sessions feel awkward? Most first-timers tell us they're surprised by how comfortable and natural the experience feels. The shared ritual creates a calm, respectful space where everyone can relax in their own way.

The Hekla Cube 250 Sauna Experience

The heart of our woodland retreat is the beautiful Hekla Cube 250 sauna. This isn't your typical electric sauna—it's a wood-fired masterpiece that brings warmth in more ways than one.

Wood-Fired Sauna Benefits

The heat from a wood-fired sauna feels different on your skin. It's deeper, more gentle, and somehow more natural than electric heat. described as "living warmth" that penetrates muscles more completely.

Wood heat creates natural ions in the air that can boost your mood and energy. The slight variations in temperature—warmer near the stove, cooler near the door—let you find your perfect spot without needing to adjust any controls.

The ritual of the fire adds another layer to your experience. Hearing the wood crackle and watching the flames through the stove's window connects you to heat-making traditions thousands of years old. This isn't just warming your body—it's warming your spirit.

Blood flow improves dramatically during a wood sauna session. Your heart works harder, similar to light exercise, sending fresh oxygen to tired tissues. Many guests report better sleep for days after their visit—a sign that deep relaxation has occurred.

The wood-fired approach creates a more breathable heat that many find easier to enjoy, even for newcomers to sauna bathing.

The Craft of Thermowood

Our Hekla Cube 250 sauna is built from specially treated thermowood. This isn't ordinary lumber—it's wood that's been heated to high temperatures to create a material that's perfect for sauna use.

The thermowood process removes resins and moisture from the wood, making it more stable and resistant to warping. This means no sticky surfaces or strong smells, just clean, beautiful wood that ages gracefully.

The walls of our sauna breathe, helping maintain the perfect humidity level without any complex controls. Touch the wood after it's warmed up, and you'll feel how it holds heat differently than standard timber.

Finnish sauna builders have refined these techniques over centuries. The result is a space that feels alive—wood that responds to your presence and the changing conditions inside the sauna.

What makes thermowood special is its combination of beauty and function. The rich, dark colour comes from the heating process, not from stains or chemicals, creating a pure, natural environment for your sauna experience.

Outdoor Sauna Experience

Between heat rounds, step outside to cool down in the fresh air. This contrast between hot and cold is where the full magic of sauna bathing happens.

Your blood vessels open wide in the heat, then gently contract in the cool air, creating a pumping action throughout your body. This natural circulation boost can clear your mind and energize your system in ways that heat alone cannot match.

The outdoor cool-down is often people's favourite part of the experience. Standing among the trees with steam rising from your skin creates a moment of connection with nature that's hard to describe but impossible to forget.

In winter, the contrast becomes even more powerful. The bite of cold air on warm skin wakes up every cell. In summer, the shade of the trees provides the perfect gentle cooling effect.

Take deep breaths during these outdoor moments. The clean forest air fills your lungs while your skin tingles with sensation. This is mindfulness without trying—your body naturally becomes present when given such clear, strong signals.

Embracing Wellness at Fire & Stars

The Fire & Stars experience goes beyond just heating your body—it's a complete approach to wellness that works on multiple levels at once.

Relaxation and Rejuvenation

True relaxation happens when your nervous system shifts from "fight or flight" to "rest and digest." The Fire & Stars sauna creates this shift through a perfect combination of sensory inputs.

The gentle heat relaxes muscle tension that you might not even know you're carrying. Shoulders drop, jaws unclench, and the small muscles around your eyes soften. Many guests report that chronic pain areas feel better after just one session.

Your mind follows your body into relaxation. Racing thoughts slow down as your attention turns to physical sensations. The simple focus on heat, breath, and the present moment acts as a form of meditation, even for those who don't meditate.

Sleep quality often improves after sauna sessions. Your core temperature rises during the sauna, then falls afterward—mimicking the natural temperature drop that triggers deep sleep. Many guests report their best night's rest in weeks following a visit.

What makes the Fire & Stars approach special is how complete the relaxation feels. It's not just one part of you that unwinds—it's your entire system.

Enhancing Wellbeing

Regular sauna sessions work like deposits in your wellness account. Each visit builds on the last, creating cumulative benefits for both body and mind.

Your skin becomes clearer as sweating helps remove impurities. The heat boosts collagen production, helping skin maintain its elasticity and glow. Many regular sauna users report fewer skin problems and a more youthful appearance.
Muscle recovery speeds up with sauna use. The increased blood flow delivers more nutrients to tired muscles while carrying away the by-products of exercise. Athletes often use sauna sessions to bounce back faster between workouts.
Mental clarity improves as stress hormones decrease. Many guests say they solve problems or have creative insights during or after their sauna time. The brain works differently when freed from stress chemicals.

What's remarkable is how these benefits last beyond your time in the sauna. The calm state you achieve can extend for days, helping you respond better to life's challenges.

The rise in popularity of outdoor saunas across the UK shows a growing recognition of what the Finnish have known for centuries—sauna is powerful medicine for modern life.

Fire & Stars offers something different from typical wellness centres. There's no reception desk with bright lights, no piped-in music, no complex rules or procedures. Just simple, natural healing in a beautiful setting.

The small group format creates a sense of shared experience without forcing social interaction. Many guests make new connections during their visits, while others enjoy the space for quiet reflection. Both approaches are welcomed.

What you won't find at Fire & Stars is hurry. Sessions are paced to allow your body and mind to fully absorb the experience. No rushing from one treatment to another or watching the clock.

In today's fast-paced world, this slow, intentional approach ling your body in a woodland setting can reset patterns of stress that no amount of digital detox can touch.

Your body remembers how to heal itself when given the right conditions. At Fire & Stars, we simply create those conditions and let nature do the rest.