Well. I wasn't anticipating needing to go back for a second visit - but my weekend visiting Portland Island was so jam-packed that I didn't make it to all the saunas I wanted to visit, both on the island itself and in Weymouth. So... there may need to be an update soon!
Sweethill Farm Sauna
This is a compact but brilliantly designed wee sauna built from a horsebox trailer. It's another sauna on a campsite, but this one's mor permanent. Along with the sauna there's a yoga space and a really cool firepit in a stone circle they've made.
Getting there
You can reach Portland Island easily on the no. 1 bus from Weymouth, it's a frequent service running about every 15mins. The bus ride takes about an hour and there's just a short walk (aprox 10 mins) to the campsite from the bus stop.
Weymouth is on the South West Main Line railway which runs from London Waterloo via Southampton and Bournemouth.
Whats' the sauna experience like?
As I mentioned it's a neat little converted horsebox with 2 benches facing one another. There are lovely little portholes and small windows so it's like a hug, with glimpses out to the surroundings. They have the old favourite Urban Ice Tribe plunge tubs as well as an outdoor shower.
It felt fairly new when I was there, with sapling birch trees growing and the begginings of a willow arch to enter the sauna site and a little herb garden gradually establishing.
This 'nearly wild camping' site is walking distance to Portland Bill lighthouse, and those with a desire and experiene can clamber down for a dip in the sea nearby (we had a local guide show us a spot)
There are actually another 2 saunas on Portland Island - Revive Wild Saunas who also have a sauna in Weymouth and The Island Sauna.
Seems like this part of the world is *perfect* if you're up for a sauna holiday. You could camp at Sweethill and travel to surrounding saunas by bus easily. If you are a person who drives then there are even more places to explore.
Emilie Joy Rowell is an embodiment coach and sauna master who's passionate about slow adventures and the big picture wellness. She's writing this as a guide to reaching these wild wellbeing hotspots in the most sustainable and enjoyable ways.
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