Pentland View Outdoor Sauna Edinburgh – A Saturday Morning Ritual in the Pentlands

It was early on a Saturday morning at Pentland View Outdoor Sauna Edinburgh. As I got closer, I noticed a young woman sitting by the firepit with her friends, wearing a veil and pearl-rimmed sunglasses. Their session was just ending as mine was about to start. It made me smile. The sauna was the first stop on her hen do.

The setup

The sauna sits at the foot of the Pentland Hills, in its own fenced-off area. You can see it from the car park, with just a short walk up to it.

It felt like a proper wee retreat. From the sauna window, you could see right up the hill, with two plunge baths and two barrels lined up beside it, one of each chilled. There was also a patio with chairs around a firepit, a water station under a tree and a picnic bench.

Orange slices and banana bread

There were five of us in the session: a couple, two friends and me. The host welcomed me and explained how everything worked. Partway through the session, she came in and poured water infused with sweet orange over the stones.

Later, she came back with bunches of dried lavender, warming them above the stones before gently waving them around each person in turn. Everyone sat with their eyes closed as she went around the group.

With fifteen minutes left, she brought in a round of orange slices. That was the signal that the session was nearly finished. The couple told me that’s how they always knew it was time to start wrapping things up.

After everyone had changed, we sat around the firepit chatting. She brought out mint tea and some banana bread she’d baked herself, and we all had a slice.

Before I left, I told her how much I’d enjoyed it. All the little extras had been a real, unexpected treat. She said they like to make people feel looked after.

Watered like a plant

Everyone moved between the sauna and the cold water in their own time. One of the friends had already gone out for her first dip, while the other stayed in the sauna a little longer, so I ended up doing my first round with her.

As we were deciding which cold-water option to try first, we spotted her friend lying on the grass nearby, with the host pouring water over her from a watering can. The host had mentioned the grounding area when she welcomed me, so I knew people could lie on the grass if they wanted to. I just hadn’t expected anyone to actually get watered like that.

Her friend looked over and said, “What is she like, getting watered like a plant?” It made me laugh out loud.

Throughout the session, I tried all four cold-water options. My favourite was the biggest barrel, chilled to 7°C. I didn’t stay in for long. My feet and shins started to sting, but it was still a great feeling.

Getting yourself fully under takes real mental effort. For those few seconds, there’s no room for anything else, just the cold and your own breathing.

The regulars

It turned out everyone on my session was a regular. The couple who lived locally said this was their “Saturday morning ritual.”

Everyone was easy to talk to and so friendly from the moment I arrived. I ended up chatting like old friends with people I’d only just met. I’ve had that same feeling a few times before, at Viking Heat Retreat and at Wild Ember Bothy, when the right group of people happen to be there.

Grounding

The grounding area was a patch of grass cut specifically for it. After a plunge, you lie down on it, either looking up at the sky or just closing your eyes.

I tried it with one of the friends after our first dip. It wasn’t cold, it was a clear day, and I lay there looking up at the clouds. I didn’t feel anything dramatic, just calm and peaceful.

The idea is that direct skin contact with the earth does something good for you, though the science behind exactly why is still pretty thin. What’s better established is that spending time in nature generally is good for you, so whether it’s grounding specifically or just being outside and away from screens for a while, it’s probably doing something good either way.

The man from the couple told me they do it even in winter, and that you can feel the heat coming up through the moss. I liked the sound of that, and I’d like to try it myself sometime when it’s colder.

The bride in the barrel

I’m engaged myself but have no wedding plans yet. The owner had mentioned that the bride I’d spotted earlier that morning had been posing for photos in the plunge barrel, veil, sunglasses and all.

It got me wondering whether I’d get any of my own friends and family along to a sauna for mine. I can already imagine the look on their faces if I mention a cold plunge.