Ultimate Retreat: Finding Balance in the Elements at the Old Course Hotel
Me in the Sea - Awaiting Sunrise. Image courtesy of Anna Deacon
It’s funny how something that felt so normal in a Scottish childhood has become a wellness trend. Summers spent in North Berwick meant most days included a swim in the sea. We didn’t dream that those cold dips, which turned our skin a mottled mix of purple and orange, were anything more than fun. Fast forward a few decades and getting cold in Scottish open water or wild swimming – as it’s now officially known – has become a wellbeing phenomenon. People, mostly women it seems, are popping in coastal seas, lakes, and lochs across the UK, clad in bobble hats and running from freezing waters into dry robes, like it’s some sort of, er, cult.
But the trend has evolved. Now it’s not just about plunging into icy waters – it’s about pairing that shock of cold with the deep, enveloping heat of a sauna. Outdoor saunas are popping up beside lochs, lakes and beaches across the UK, promising the ultimate wellbeing ritual known as contrast therapy. The idea? Move between extremes – hot to cold, cold to hot – to reset your nervous system, lift your mood, and boost circulation. Is it all a load of hokum? Seems not, as I discovered. This cynic is now a convert.
I’ve sneered, yet I’ve also dabbled, once in the East Neuk of Fife and twice in Lake Ullswater. So I can’t be that judgy. My inner sceptic always slightly resistant to the hype but I can’t deny the sense of joy that comes from defying every instinct that’s screaming what are you doing, putting your body in this temperature? Only to find, moments later, a strange inner warmth and a deep sense of calm.
So when the opportunity came to experience the Old Course Hotel’s new contrast therapy ethos – a weekend of sauna, snow, and sunrise swims led by wellness expert and cold-water pioneer Anna Deacon – I parked my scepticism again and stepped into the experience.
The Spa: Scotland’s Sanctuary of Coorie
The newly renovated Kohler Waters Spa at the Old Course Hotel has been completely reimagined, introducing Scotland’s most advanced contrast therapy facilities – anchored by a stunning KLAFS-designed snow and sauna cabin. It’s a place that embodies Coorie – that uniquely Scottish art of finding warmth, comfort and sanctuary after braving the cold.
Named Scottish Spa of the Year 2024 by The Times 50 Best UK Spa Guide, the spa’s transformation is rooted in balance: movement and recovery, challenge and indulgence. It’s a space to retreat, to restore, and to reconnect with yourself.
Post dreamy HydraFacial and a little bobbing around in the hydrotherapy pools, I eased into the weekend with a little taster of contrast therapy in the spa’s Sauna and Snow experience. Who knew that sweating it out in a sauna followed by a few minutes in a cabin filled with real snow could be so cool? Standing in my swimsuit in a room of piled-up snow was quite the surreal experience. And a little taster of tomorrow morning (but more of that later). Then came the Espuro Foam Experience Steam Room, where essential-oil foam gently falls from the ceiling until you’re surrounded waist-deep in fragrant, velvety bubbles. Pure nostalgic joy – like a wellness-infused foam party for the inner child.
The Big Dip: Facing the Elements
The next morning began early, the sky just starting to lighten over St Andrews’ famous West Sands. Our group of ten — strangers in matching Old Course-branded dryrobes — made our way across to the beach. Little known to each other, we were soon to be bonded by bravery.
We gathered by the Wild Scottish Sauna, joined by Wild Swimming author and expert Anna Deacon, and founders Jayne and Jamie, who began the morning with a gentle sage cleansing ceremony.
Beyond the dunes, the sea was glass-like, the air cool and still, with a faint haar rolling in. As we made our way slowly into the water, the mist began to lift and the sun burned through – gifting us a golden sunrise as we took those first, sharp breaths while sinking into the cold. Every nerve in my body was shouting at the grown-up me to get out, but with deep breathing and a touch of determination, I found my rhythm.
I swam slowly, face turned to the October sun. Probably for no more than seven minutes – though time felt irrelevant. Anna had told us to listen to our bodies, and in that moment, everything felt still and strangely euphoric. As I made my way to shore, I felt that glow that I can only describe as the Ready-Brek feeling – heat radiating gently outwards from my skin.
And then, the reward: a short walk up the beach to Wild Scottish Sauna’s beautifully crafted wooden sauna, where the heat enveloped us like a hug. Looking out over the sands, wrapped in warmth, I felt the quiet satisfaction of having done something both mad and meaningful. This was contrast therapy in its purest form – elemental, restorative and grounding.
Jayne and Jamie had thought of everything – from post-dip shivery bites by local favourite Bliss Bites, to hot coffee and tea. Guests can also enhance the experience with a short meditation or mini sound bath within the sauna, creating a deeply restorative moment that blends heat, sound and stillness. Some took another dip, others simply sat and sweated it out. It was bonding in its purest form – a shared experience that felt intimate, energising and deeply human.
ConverteD?
I may not be a full convert to the cult of cold and contrast therapy just yet, but I get it now. The appeal isn’t just in the shock or the science – it’s in the stillness, the simplicity, and the sense of coming back to yourself. Turns out, contrast really is everything.
Experience It for Yourself
Step Into Summer Retreat | Old Course Hotel, St Andrews | 2–3 May 2026
Discover this world of crazy contrasts for yourself. The Step Into Summer Retreat at the Old Course Hotel launches on 2–3 May 2026, offering a weekend designed to restore balance through sea, spa and stillness. Hosted by Anna Deacon – wild swimmer, photographer and wellness writer – it’s an immersive escape that encourages you to slow down, breathe deeply and reconnect.
Over the course of the weekend, guests can expect sunrise dips in St Andrews Bay, expert-led contrast therapy sessions in the newly transformed Kohler Waters Spa, and a programme of gentle yoga, meditation and mindful photography to soothe body and mind in equal measure.
On Saturday evening, broadcaster and endurance athlete Louise Minchin joins Anna for dinner and conversation – an inspiring, down-to-earth discussion about adventure, resilience and the restorative power of nature.
It’s the perfect mix of challenge and calm – five-star comfort, cold water, warm hearts – and a genuine chance to reset before summer begins.
From £385 per person, including overnight stay, spa access, meals and all activities.