A one-of-a-kind wild swimming and sauna experience has been launched at Forbes of Kingennie Country Resort, near Dundee.
Visitors will now be able to swim outdoors in a spring water-fed, heart-shaped pond surrounded by rolling countryside, then cosy up in a wood-fired sauna which has a large window, enabling stunning views of the water and the hills beyond.
The resort has partnered with Fife-based Wild Scottish Sauna to create the new addition, building on existing sites at Kingsbarns and Eden Springs, near Cupar.
Forbes of Kingennie has transformed one of its former fishing ponds into the swimming area, while the mobile sauna can be hired for exclusive or shared use.
Saunas offer numerous benefits, which can include easing pain, reducing stress and improving cardiovascular health, alongside relaxation.
Bookings are now being taken for the sauna on Thursdays through to Sundays, but advance booking is not needed for swimming.
Owned by the Forbes family for the past 25 years, Forbes of Kingennie offers a range of luxurious waterside and woodland lodges, new eco-lodges and cosy shepherd’s huts with hot tubs, overlooking fishing pools, a 9-hole golf course, 18-hole putting green and driving range.
The resort is also a well-known wedding venue and popular choice for corporate events and away days.
Libby Sutherland, partner at Forbes of Kingennie, said the new experience would appeal to both locals and visitors to the resort.
“We are so excited to have joined forces with Wild Scottish Sauna to create a visitor experience that is truly unique,” she said. “We are located in the quiet countryside and have created an invigorating swimming space that’s like no other. After a refreshing dip in the pond, which is fed by clean water from a spring, it feels amazing to heat up in the sauna!
“Both saunas and wild swimming have many documented benefits to health and wellbeing so we hope the new swim and sauna offering will bring day visitors from the Dundee area as well as further afield. It will also add to the overall experience to our guests who travel from far and wide to stay in our lakeside and woodland lodges.”
After a cold water swim, visitors can also refuel with a meal in The Scullery restaurant or hearty pub food in the Cairn O’Mount Bar.
Libby added: “Guests can also make a day of it and enjoy our leisure facilities or relax over coffee and lunch coffee while catching up with friends or making the most of some peace and quiet away from hustle and bustle.”
Jamie Craig-Gentles, co-founder of Wild Scottish Sauna, said stepping into a sauna provides a blissful escape from the outside world.
“Known for their ability to promote relaxation and reduce stress, saunas offer an array of health benefits that make them an excellent addition to a wellness routine,” she said. “We are thrilled to have partnered with Forbes of Kingennie to bring a sauna to its new experience.
“As well having detoxifying effects on the body, saunas have been shown to improve cardiovascular health, with benefits such as increased blood flow and improved circulation.
“This effect can be beneficial for your heart, as it helps lower blood pressure and enhances overall cardiovascular function. Regular sessions in a sauna such as the one here at Forbes of Kingennie can contribute to a healthier heart and reduce the risk of various cardiovascular conditions.”
Outdoor Swimmer’s 2021 Trends in Outdoor Swimming Report also identified a growing recognition of the importance of swimming outside for mental and physical health and for general wellbeing.
Forbes of Kingennie Countryside Resort is located in a prime countryside location close to Broughty Ferry, just 15 minutes from Dundee, with easy access from Aberdeen, Glasgow and Edinburgh.
For more information and to book a sauna slot, visit https://forbesofkingennie.co.uk/wild-scottish-saunas-in-dundee
