Review: The Sauna Waggon at the Hampton Estate – the sauna with a view

The bounteous health benefits of being enveloped in sweat-inducing heat are being more widely recognised, and mobile outdoors saunas are popping up all over the south coast and along the Thames in reaction to demand from health-conscious, well-being seekers. And here, in deepest darkest Surrey, the Hampton Estate has embraced the concept, but Surrey Hills style.

Hidden away on the sweeping landscape of the Hampton Estate, just outside Puttenham, is a very special, custom-built, one-of-a-kind community sauna: entirely off-grid, traditionally wood-fired and most uniquely, with huge picture windows on one side looking out on rolling pasture, veteran trees and in the far distance the wooded slopes of Blackdown, Haslemere.

It felt like a real adventure, walking from the car park along a rustic winding path through leafy woodland to then emerge at a clearing with hewn log seating and a smoldering firepit.

Wonderfully welcoming Elenid, the on-site Sauna manager, talked us through the entire sauna experience, showing us the rustic outdoor showers and tipping-drench buckets, the changing area in the Waggon and the sauna itself, giving us sage advice to stay hydrated and step out when we needed to.

The term community sauna explains the fact that up to 8 people can book via the website into any of the 50min sessions available throughout the day, however it being Friday mid-afternoon, we were lucky enough to have the sauna all to ourselves. But there was plenty of space in there to accommodate the full number.

I’ve been to plenty of indoor saunas and spas over the years, but it felt truly liberating to be able to step outside after being in the sweltering heat and let the fragrant wind blowing up from the valley cool my skin. Being immersed in nature, both through the view out of the sauna, and the outdoor element, really added to the immense sense of wellbeing and calm, and splashing in the cold water from the outdoor showers was invigorating in a way that felt different from any other spa experience.

Another nice touch was being offered sliced oranges halfway through our allotted time to refresh us. Elenid also offered a variety of essentials oils she could add to the steam should we wish – these attentive, but not intrusive details, including the cups of herbal tea waiting for us by the fire pit at the end, made the whole experience feel like we were at a luxury spa, our needs anticipated and tended to.

A full week later the experience has stayed with me, and I’m itching to get back there and introduce the people I know to this absolute gem of a place. If saunas are your thing, then treat yourself, your loved one, or your friends to a wonderfully unique experience at the Hampton Estate Waggon Sauna, and I guarantee you’ll be wishing all saunas had such an incredible view!

Find out more about The Waggon Sauna and how you can book your sauna sessions at thewaggonsauna.co.uk, and discover more about Hampton Estate’s pioneering work in nature restoration and regenerative farming.
Zoe Avern