First-timer’s guide · Sauna basics
Your first sauna, without the guesswork.
How hot it gets, what to wear, how long to stay in and the quiet rules nobody tells you — written for anyone stepping into a sauna for the first time, and especially for our wood-fired sauna on the sand at North Landing.
- Typical heat
- 70–100°C
- Per round
- 8–15 min
- Rounds
- 2–3
- Wear
- Swimwear
The basics
Fire, stone and a ladle of water.
A traditional sauna is simple. A stove heats a basket of stones until they are too hot to touch. The stones heat the air, the air heats the room, and you sit in it on wooden benches. That’s it — no jets, no steam pipes, no buttons.
Ours is wood-fired: a real fire burning in the stove, fed by hand through the session. You can hear it tick and settle, and you can smell it. It’s the oldest way of heating a sauna and, we think, still the best.
What is löyly?
Löyly is the Finnish word for the wave of steam that rises when water is ladled onto hot stones. The temperature on the thermometer barely moves, but the moist air feels much hotter on your skin for a minute or so, then softens. It’s the moment most sauna lovers wait for — and the reason you always ask before adding water (more on that below).
Why are the top benches hotter?
Because heat rises. The air near the roof can be far hotter than the air at your feet, so where you sit is your thermostat. Sit low on your first round; move up when you want more.
Temperature
How hot is a sauna?
A traditional Finnish sauna typically runs at around 70–100°C, measured near head height. A wood-fired tent sauna like ours varies more: the stove, the wind off the sea and how often the door opens all play their part, and the difference between the bottom bench and the top can be large. Treat any single figure as a rough guide, not a promise.
- Top benchHottestFor when you know how the heat feels
- Middle benchWarmA good place for most rounds
- Low benchGentlestStart here on your first round
- FloorCoolestFeet and the air by the door
How hot are saunas compared with steam rooms?
Steam rooms are much cooler — usually somewhere around 40–50°C — but almost fully humid, which is why they feel so heavy. A sauna is far hotter and drier, with bursts of humidity whenever water goes on the stones. Dry heat is easier to breathe in than you’d expect.
The air can be very hot but the benches are wood, which doesn’t hold heat the way metal does. Anything metal — jewellery, glasses frames, watch straps, zips — can get hot enough to sting. Take it off before you go in.
What to wear & bring
Swimwear, two towels, bare feet.
In a shared sauna in the UK, swimwear is the norm, and it’s what we ask for at North Landing. Go for something comfortable you don’t mind getting salty — you may be walking into the North Sea in it.
What to wear in a sauna
- Swimwear — trunks, a swimsuit or a bikini. Nothing with metal fastenings if you can help it.
- No jewellery, watches or hair clips. Metal heats up fast.
- Glasses off if you can manage without them; they steam up and the frames get hot.
- Hair tied back if it’s long. Some people like a felt or wool sauna hat to keep their head cooler.
What to bring to ROE
- Towels
- Two
- Feet
- Flip-flops
- Water
- A full bottle
One to sit on in the sauna, one to dry off afterwards
For the sand, the slipway and the rocks
You sweat more than you think
Arrive with your swimwear already on — there are no changing facilities on the beach yet. A warm hoodie or dryrobe for afterwards is a good idea most of the year. For parking and the walk down, see our guide to visiting North Landing.
There’s no wrong way to rest.Photo: Des Blenkinsopp · CC BY-SA 2.0
Timing
How long should you stay in?
Roughly 8–15 minutes per round, and less on your very first. There’s no prize for staying in longest. The right time is when you feel thoroughly warm, your breathing has slowed and you’re ready for some cool air — not when you feel light-headed. If you feel dizzy, sick or uncomfortable at any point, get out, sit down and drink some water.
Arrive ready and drink some water
Come in your swimwear with two towels, flip-flops and a full water bottle. Have a drink before you start.Sit on your towel, low down at first
Lay a towel on the bench and sit on it. Lower benches are cooler; move higher once you know how the heat feels.Stay for roughly 8 to 15 minutes
Your first round can be short. Leave whenever you’ve had enough — there is no target to hit.Cool down
Step out into the air, rinse off or walk slowly into cold water if conditions allow and you are able.Rest and drink
Sit for ten minutes or so, let your breathing settle and drink water.Repeat two or three times
Most people do two or three rounds. Finish when you feel good, not when you feel spent.
In a 55 minutes session at North Landing, two or three rounds fits comfortably with time to rest between them. Want the whole sauna to yourselves to set your own pace? Look at private sauna hire.
Sauna etiquette
The unwritten rules, written down.
Sauna etiquette is mostly common sense and kindness: you’re sharing a small, hot room with people who came to unwind.
- Sit on a towel. Always — for hygiene and for the next person.
- Ask before adding water. A ladle of water changes the heat for everyone. A quick “More löyly?” is all it takes.
- Keep it calm. Chatting quietly is fine; loud conversations and music aren’t.
- No glass. Bring a plastic or metal bottle. Glass on a beach and in a hot room is a hazard.
- Close the door quickly. Every open second lets the heat out.
- Shuffle up. Make room for people coming in, and offer the top bench around.
Can you take your phone in a sauna?
Best not. Heat and steam are hard on electronics — batteries in particular don’t like high temperatures — and a phone screen is the one thing nobody wants to see in a sauna. Leave it in your bag. The cliffs will still be there for a photo afterwards.
Health & safety
Honest answers about your body.
Do saunas help you lose weight?
Not in any lasting way. You may weigh a little less after a session, but that’s water you’ve sweated out, and it comes back as soon as you drink — which you should. Come for the way it makes you feel, not for the scales.
Is a sauna good for a cold?
If you’re unwell, skip it. Strong heat with a fever or a heavy cold is unpleasant and puts extra strain on your body, and in a shared sauna you’d be sharing it with everyone else. Rebook and come back when you’re better.
Staying hydrated
Drink water before you arrive, a few mouthfuls between rounds and plenty afterwards. You lose more fluid than you notice, especially in a hot sauna followed by fresh sea air.
Who should check with a GP first?
- Anyone with a heart condition, or high or low blood pressure.
- Anyone who is pregnant.
- Anyone taking medication that affects the heart, blood pressure or how the body handles heat.
- Anyone recovering from illness or an operation.
Never use a sauna after drinking alcohol. Heat and alcohol together raise the risk of fainting and dehydration. When you book with us, you’ll be asked to confirm you are fit and well enough to use a sauna.
Your first session at ROE
What happens on the sand.
ROE Wild Saunas is a wood-fired sauna on the beach at North Landing, Flamborough, at the foot of the old lifeboat station slipway. At the moment it’s a wood-fired tent sauna pitched on the sand right by the water, with plans for a custom-built timber sauna to follow.
The briefing
Every guest gets a short safety briefing when they arrive: how the sauna works, where to sit, and what to do between rounds. There are no lifeguards at North Landing. Every guest gets a safety briefing, and we can only guide you on your time in the sauna.
The rounds
After that, the time is yours. Go in, come out, rest on the beach, go again. Nobody will time you, and you’re free to leave the heat whenever you like.
The sea
The North Sea is a few steps away and is the coldest plunge pool you’ll ever use. You don’t have to go in — plenty of people simply sit in the salt air. If you do, go in slowly and read our guide to sauna and cold water first. In rough seas, sessions may move up the slipway or be cancelled.
Fire behind you, the sea in front, and nowhere else you need to be.
See the sessions and prices, check what’s on at events, or give a first sauna to someone else with a gift voucher. Making a day of it? Here are things to do in Flamborough, and the story of the lifeboat station you’re sitting beside.
Quick answers
First-timer questions, answered.
How hot is a sauna?
A traditional Finnish sauna usually runs at around 70–100°C, measured near head height. A wood-fired tent sauna like ours varies more: with the stove, the weather and where you sit. The top bench is always the hottest; the floor can be tens of degrees cooler.
What should I wear in a sauna?
Swimwear is right for a shared public sauna like ours. Take off jewellery and watches (metal heats up), leave glasses outside if you can, and sit on a towel. Bring flip-flops for the walk to and from the sea.
How long should you stay in a sauna?
Roughly 8–15 minutes per round, and less on your first go. Leave sooner if you feel dizzy, sick or uncomfortable. Most people do two or three rounds, cooling off and resting for around ten minutes between each.
Do saunas help you lose weight?
Not in any lasting way. You will weigh a little less afterwards, but that is water you have sweated out, and it comes straight back when you drink — which you should. A sauna is for feeling good, not for losing fat.
Is a sauna good for a cold?
If you are unwell, skip it. Sitting in strong heat with a fever or a heavy cold is unpleasant and puts extra strain on your body — and in a shared sauna you would be passing it round. Come back when you are better.
Can you take your phone in a sauna?
Best not. Heat and steam can damage phones and batteries, and a shared sauna is a place to switch off. Leave it in your bag; take your photos of the sea before or after.
Who should not use a sauna?
Check with your GP first if you have a heart condition, high or low blood pressure, are pregnant, or take medication that affects your heart, blood pressure or temperature. Never use a sauna after drinking alcohol.
How much water should I drink?
Drink before you arrive, a few mouthfuls between every round and a good amount afterwards. Bring a full bottle — you will sweat more than you expect.
Is it suitable for beginners?
Completely. We walk you through how it works, how long to stay in, and how to relax.
Do I have to swim in the sea?
Not at all. The sauna can be enjoyed by resting on the beach between sessions.
Please note dipping in the sea is completely at your own risk, make sure you are healthy and capable before jumping in.
How long is a session at ROE?
Sessions at North Landing last 55 minutes, with shared seats from £12 per person. That is time for two or three rounds of heat, cold and rest.
Still wondering? The full FAQ covers booking, weather and more.
Ready for your first round?
We’ll light the fire and walk you through it. All you need is swimwear, two towels and a bottle of water.
More from the landing
Keep exploring
Sessions & pricesShared sessions, sunrise and sunset sittings, and how a visit to the wood-fired sauna works.
Private hireThe whole sauna for your group — birthdays, friends, teams and quiet afternoons by the sea.- Gift vouchersGive someone the North Sea — sauna gift vouchers, sent instantly and valid for a year.
Visiting North LandingWhere we are, parking, the walk down to the slipway, what to bring and how to get here.- Sauna & cold waterHot sauna, cold North Sea: how to do contrast bathing at North Landing, safely.
Things to do in FlamboroughSea caves, puffin cliffs, lighthouses and chalk bays — a local’s guide to Flamborough Head.