And we’ve our Finnish friends to thank for our favourite pastime with our clothes (almost) off… and naturally at 60 it’s nae sweat sitting it out in a sauna.
Or any age really depending on where you live in the world.
Where our guide in the Austrian Tirol regaled us of his childhood memories when he would go with his grandparents… and they all shed their clothes!
Not that British or Irish people are ready for that kind of open living.
Although I have noticed over the years that we have got more confident in actually talking to each other.
Which is how we, the Daughterie, Mr Daughterie and myself found ourselves getting to know Pippa’s Crew.
Sauna etiquette
A set (if that’s the collective noun for saunaphiles) of Edinburgh and East Lothian yummy mummies.
At Hot & Bothy Community Sauna on the Archerfield Estate in Dirleton 23 miles east of the Scottish capital.
Some subjects are, of course, off limits with Hot & Bothy reminding us not to pass comment on people’s body image or tattoos.
Although not having seen Mr Daughterie with most of his clothes off, as no father-in-law ever should, I did break that to ask him about his inkings.
And whether it was safe for him to wear his piercings, which as a sauna expert from his time in Finland he assured us that it was.
Too damned hot
What might not be unless you’re one of those roughie-toughie Finns is competitive saunaing is the World Sauna Championships.
Which were held in Saonola from 1999 to 2010.
And whose competitors were asked to sign a waiver.
Which was a get out of jail card when the beaten finalist in the last championships, a Russian expired.
And we’re not reading anything into the fact that the winner was a Finn, Illka Poyjoa.
Hot & Bothy rules
Hot & Bothy operate a hut and a yurt from behind the Archerfield Walled Garden.
And two plunge pools, a cold shower.
And a firepit where you can sit and drink their tea and ginger and sing Kumbaya, although that’s not compulsory.
Before you dress back into your clothes in the changing rooms.
And all for the price of a night’s drinking at £17.50 and you’ll feel a lot better for it.
