A sauna is a fantastic luxury, especially on an off-grid working farm. It was handmade with a lot of recycled cedar and includes a wood fire stove imported from Finland. It is an amazing accompaniment to the wood fireplace in the Studio & the rain shower in the adjacent bathroom. We hope you love it as much as we do!
Changes to the sauna from 1st May 2023 - due to guest unsafe use, please read below and we will also show you how to use it upong check in.
Dani making the most of the sauna in winter
Sauna Rules
Do not use the sauna alone or without a person knowingly monitoring your time in the sauna
Pregnant women, elderly people suffering from heart disease, diabetes and high or low blood pressure should not use the sauna.
Do not use the sauna under the influence of alcohol, hypnotics and/or tranquillisers.
Not to be used by children under 16 years of age
Long exposure to sauna temperature may result in nausea, dizziness and/or fainting. Observe reasonable time limits. 10-15 minutes is recommended in one session. Cool down with a cold shower or stand outside between sessions
Remove all jewellery.
Swim attire or towel must be worn while sitting on benches for hygiene reasons.
Do not sit on the benches wet. You must be fully dry each time you enter.
Do not pour excessive water over the hot stones.
Do not leave the Sauna door open. Get in and out quickly to retain heat
Do not jump on or overload cedar benches. A maximum of 1 person on each tier is recommended. Incorrect use may lead to bench failure.
Always shower before entering the sauna. Wash and fully towel dry before entering the Sauna.
All persons using the sauna do so at their own risk and sole responsibility.
Never (ever) leave the wood-fired sauna stove door open - not even to establish the fire. Red Cedar can be highly flammable.
Only burn what we have given you. (Do not burn any tissue or paper whatsoever).
What is a Finnish Dry Sauna?
A Finnish sauna is a sauna that harnesses the power of relatively dry heat. Unlike steam rooms, also known as wet saunas, moisture and steam play are not a major feature of a Finnish sauna. Humidity is typically kept around 5-20%, and the temperature is set around 60-80ºC.
This relatively low humidity sets the Finnish sauna apart from other baths and saunas which includes:
Tropical bath: temperatures average 50-75ºC with an ambient humidity of roughly 20-40%.
Biosauna: it has an average temperature of about 50-60 ºC and a humidity level of about 45-65%.
Russian sauna: temperatures range between 60-90ºC, with humidity levels around 60-70%.
Steam bath: temperatures reach 40-45ºC, with humidity at 100%.
How to have an awesome Finnish Sauna at LVF
As an off-grid farm our Sauna is powered by a traditional wood fired sauna stove. People pre-book the use of the sauna and the first fire is preset with timber. Simply light the newspaper and it should burn well for about 15 minutes or so. Do not overload the firebox too early with large timbers, you may smother the flames, let the fire get established. Alternatively don’t leave it too long before adding more timber, it will just burn out and you’ll have to start again. Start with the smaller timber and work up to larger, heavier, logs which have been left for you. It will take about 1 to 1 ½ hours to get the sauna upto about 60°.
Never leave the sauna wood fired stove door open! Air is sucked up through the grates into the firebox, this always enables plenty of air to establish the flames (this is different to the other wood fire stoves). The red cedar panelling can be highly flammable, please be careful.
Make sure the Sauna is at least 55° or 60° degrees. Once in the sauna you can apply One or Two ladles of clean water to the hot stones to help raise the temperature a little. The upper air vent, above the top bench, should be open. Ensure the door is always fully closed.
Before entering the sauna to start your first session, rinse off in our adjoining rain shower. Wash with soap and fully rinse off with water. These Finnish dry saunas are used for therapeutic, not hygienic, purposes. The inside of the sauna must be kept clean at all times. Towel dry before entering the sauna, this promotes sweating and the elimination of toxins.
Always use a towel that you can fold or wrap around you before sitting down. This serves a dual purpose. The benches are hot, and sitting directly on them can be uncomfortable and even burn the user without the towel. This also keeps the sauna clean for other users, since no one sits directly on the same surface if everyone uses a towel.
Users stay in the sauna for an average of 15 minutes. However, the time varies from person to person: some can only handle 5 to 10 minutes of the dry heat, others a little more. If you have excessive perspiration, feel uncomfortable or dizzy step outside and cool down for a while. The lower bench is cooler than the higher bench, so start there or move there if you are too hot.
Cool down after leaving the sauna. You can either stand outside for a while or our favourite option is to have a cold-cold, shower. It may be best to go slowly, starting with the feet and gradually moving upwards but in the end you can go full Wim Hof and shower directly under the very cold water from our rainwater tanks. This simulates the traditional Finnish habit of jumping in cold lakes between sauna sessions.
Towel dry and then go back inside the sauna and repeat the entire process again for another two times. Your total session would be between 40-60mins including the sauna and the showers.
We guarantee you will feel relaxed after your session.
You can have Wine & Cheese like many do in the Hunter Valley or grab Sausage and Beer which is the traditional Finnish post-sauna relaxation.
Don’t rush off if you can; sit in front of the fire or watch out over the view and relax. Cool down fully before you dress, and make full use of the bathrobes provided to relax.
Rain shower with full bush views
Benefits of a Finnish sauna
Using the Finnish sauna in conjunction with the other elements of your stay should help you deeply relax. The sauna itself is a great tool that has these important benefits for your physical and mental health.
Detoxification: A key benefit is the ability for a Finnish to help eliminate toxins, something the body does naturally when it sweats. The high temperatures of the Finnish sauna trigger a deep sweat, which eliminates a large amount of toxins to help purify the body
Skin care: High temps and sweating do more than just detoxify: they also help remove dead skin cells. This also helps with cellular renewal and skin care.
Improved immune function: By accelerating the body’s detoxification processes, a dry sauna helps boost several of the body’s systems, including the immune system.
Improved breathing: The high temperatures inside a Finnish sauna help to reduce congestion. The dry air opens the airways for easier clearing of any congestion in the respiratory tract. The use of cold showers helps intensify this benefit.
Muscle relaxation: The high temperatures inside the sauna combined with the cold-water baths afterwards help to relax muscles. This is true for anyone who uses a sauna, but it is particularly useful after a workout or training session.
Prevent fluid retention: Sweating does more than just eliminate toxins: it also helps the body get rid of excess liquid. This helps the body run more efficiently and can aid in weight loss.
Reduces stress: Last but not least, another benefit of Finnish saunas that shouldn’t be overlooked is that they help to significantly reduce stress. The combined effects of both the detoxification and muscle relaxation as well as the dry sauna ritual itself help users de-stress.
Please ensure you note our check-in times so we can meet you and cover the health and safety of all wood-fired facilities. You will not be able to light them until we cover our H&S upon check-in with you. If you are late for check-in then you will have to wait until the next day to meet up and show you. Your safety and ours is a priority.