Glencoe – a Hilltop Sauna, the Lochan and Lunch
A day.
The route
The Wilderness Sauna at Woodlands Glencoe is a small black Finnish cabin on a hillock above Ballachulish, all yours for the hour, with a wide window looking out over the treetops to Loch Linnhe and the hills.
Between rounds there's a cold plunge pool and bucket showers outside, then a gentle loop round Glencoe Lochan and lunch by the fire at the Clachaig Inn up the glen. It suits two or three friends, or a couple, with an hour to slow down.
Before you go
Book accommodation nearby
If you are staying over: here are ours nearest where the day starts and ends.
The nearest of ours is Woodlands Glencoe, 5 miles away. Sleeps 2.
Book an hour in the Wilderness Sauna on Woodlands Glencoe's website before you go, from £49.95 at the time of writing, private for up to three (four at a squeeze), for late morning so the lochan and lunch follow.
The day
Glencoe
An hour of heat and cold water with the loch in the window, a flat wander under tall trees, and a warm lunch by the fire in an old inn up the glen.
About four hours
Wilderness Sauna
The Wilderness Sauna is at Woodlands Glencoe in Ballachulish, on a hillock above the treetops. It has one parking space opposite its entrance, and more down the hill outside the Ballachulish Hotel. Book an hour on Woodlands' website, from £49.95 at the time of writing: the sauna is private for your session, and seats three, or four if you don't mind a squeeze. It was made in Finland and is heated by an electric element under the stones, with a big window over Loch Linnhe to the mountains. Outside there's a cold plunge pool, two bucket showers and an outdoor shower, and there's a changing area. Bring two towels, one to sit on and one for after. No one from Woodlands is with you during the hour, so keep your phone charged and in signal; the duty manager is on 01855 811811.
10 min by car
Glencoe Lochan
An attraction
Glencoe Lochan is about 10 minutes' drive east, through Glencoe village and over the hump-back bridge, then second left through the barrier. Forestry and Land Scotland's car park costs £1 for up to an hour or £3 all day, by card or RingGo, and is free for Blue Badge holders. The Lochan Trail is a mile round the water, about half an hour on a wide, firm, mostly flat path, with wooden platforms out over the lochan and the Pap of Glencoe above the trees. The story goes that Lord Strathcona made the lochan for his homesick Canadian wife. Keep children and dogs close by the water, and go in daylight.
6 min by car
Clachaig Inn
Lunch
Lunch is at the Clachaig Inn, about 6 minutes' drive on up the glen, with its own car park for customers. Food is served every day from midday until 9pm, and there are three bars with log fires, real ales and a huge choice of Scottish whiskies. Dogs are welcome in all the bars. Under-18s eat in the lounge bar with an adult; the Boots Bar and the Snug are for over-18s. If it's full, the Glencoe Visitor Centre's café, back towards the village, serves food in the daytime.
If it rains
The sauna is warm in any weather and the Clachaig has log fires; the Lochan Trail is firm underfoot, though a short stretch at the far end can be under water after heavy rain.
Kingshouse Hotel, historic inn on Rannoch Moor.
Lodge on the Loch, a restaurant in Fort William.
Photographs by Rhomi Malcolm, Vicky McNulty and Clachaig Inn via Google