Saunahood brings wood-fired sauna and cold plunge rituals to Holme Pierrepont

On the edge of Holme Pierrepont Country Park, a few minutes from West Bridgford, Saunahood has given Nottingham a fresh way to unwind. The wood-fired sauna sits, in its own words, "tucked away in a peaceful corner of the campsite for the National Watersports Centre", a short walk from open countryside.

The idea is simple and deeply restorative. Guests alternate between heat and cold, a practice known as contrast therapy, moving between sauna, cold shower and plunge pool as often as they like during a 50-minute session. The tagline sums up the mood neatly: "Slow. Simple. 100% good for the soul."

The set-up has real character. One of the two wood-fired saunas is a converted horsebox, which seats up to six people in a community session or eight for private hire. A larger cube sauna takes eight in community sessions and ten for private groups. Alongside the heat there are two cold showers and four cold plunge pools for that bracing reset.

Saunahood describes itself as a British Sauna Society Approved Operator and opens from Tuesday to Sunday. Community sessions are a sociable way to try it for the first time, while friends can book a sauna privately for a celebration or simply a catch-up with a difference.

Local magazine LeftLion has been quick to spot its appeal. In November 2025 it ran a competition offering a sauna and plunge experience for up to eight people, and in January 2026 it put Saunahood at the top of its list of ten Nottingham activities to boost mental and physical wellbeing.

Ellen Tobin told the magazine: "At our wood-fired sauna you will find deep relaxation, improved circulation, and a calmer mind". LeftLion's competition feature also listed the benefits people look for from contrast therapy, from reduced stress and deeper sleep to muscle recovery and mental clarity.

For anyone who has never tried a sauna and plunge, the setting helps. A quiet corner of a country park and the gentle heat of a wood-fired stove make it feel a world away from the city, even though it sits only a short drive from the centre of Nottingham.

Session times, private hire options and current prices are listed on the Saunahood website, where sessions can be booked online.