St. Andrews Seaside Sauna is a sister sauna to Elie Seaside Sauna, the sauna that kicked-off the sauna movement in Scotland. The original Elie Seaside Sauna attracted public and press attention from the moment that this, now iconic, sauna arrived on Elie Harbour in June 2022. The first mobile sauna in Scotland to receive planning permission, it sparked media interest, bringing thousands of new sauna enthusiasts into the UK Sauna Movement and giving other people, who are now sauna operators, the idea of starting sauna operations of their own.

Founder, Judith Dunlop, who grew up going to saunas with her health-conscious father and swimming in the waters of Elie and St. Andrews, developed the idea of a public, outdoor sauna in St. Andrews, during lockdown 2021.

Motivated by her desire to share what she loves about the area in which she grew up, Judith wished to turn people’s focus towards the wealth of nature around them, to community and the innate wealth that they have inside themselves and encourage outdoor socialising whatever the weather, or time of year.

At the time, Judith knew no one else doing such a thing, but knew that if she had had the idea, there must be others out there. She discovered The British Sauna Society, becoming a member soon after New Year 2022.

St. Andrews Seaside Sauna took a whole 3 years to happen. In the meantime, Judith added two other saunas, Shore, a shared sauna at Elie Seaside Sauna and Cellardyke Seaside Sauna, at Cellardyke Tidal Pool, bringing all four saunas under the banner of Scottish Seaside Saunas.

In 2024 she recruited an Operations Manager with the specific aim of establishing and maintaining the highest possible operational standards and launched a membership scheme, with the aim of making it easier for more people to enjoy the benefits of sauna bathing more regularly.

St. Andrews Seaside Sauna is designed by Judith, in collaboration with ocean rower Jamie Maclean, who fitted the build around his training for rowing the Pacific Ocean. During those 3 yrs Judith traveled to all five countries of the Nordic Region, Ireland, and elsewhere in the UK several times, researching sweatbathing culture, attending sauna conferences and events and developing her understanding of sauna design, so that St. Andrews Seaside Sauna is their best sauna to date.

There are three levels of benches constructed with Alder sourced from Heartwood sauna builders: a low bench for the feet of people on the lower bench. Those on the top bench have their feet level with the stove, itself, installed and inspected to HETAS standards.

The sauna’s triple-glazed thermic windows frame views of The East Sands, St. Andrews’ best swimming beach, accessible by a nearby slope with the waves only a short walk away, even when the tide is out. It sits close to the ground, a short walk from disabled parking spots, along a flat, even path. With this design, St. Andrews Seaside Sauna has welcomed many guests in their 80s and with mobility issues.

St. Andrews Seaside Sauna works closely with the nearby East Sands Leisure Centre, whose members receive a discount, providing, stretch, swim, sauna sessions for older members and those with limited mobility, as well as with private gyms and sports clubs, St. Andrews University, and other major employers in the town, integrating regular saunas into the overall fitness and well-being of the town’s population.

St. Andrews Seaside Sauna sponsors GB Rower and Henley Regatta Gold Medal Winner, Hansine Marshall, along with several St. Andrews University Sports Teams. St. Andrews University students and staff receive a discount.

St. Andrews Seaside Sauna is run on egalitarian principles. Fairness, decency, and integrity are its core values. Its sauna mats are woven in Scotland, its sauna hats are made in Fife from wool from a local flock of sheep, its dry bags are made from Scottish waxed cotton.

Sauna guests can expect a friendly, warm, and personal welcome from well-trained, motivated, and hosts who focus on individual well-being and maintaining a sense of community, from 7.00am, to late.

Professionalism is important to Judith, she, herself was Scotland’s first Accredited Sauna Master, trained by British Sauna Society Director and UK Aufguss Judge, Deborah Carr who delivered Scotland’s first accredited Aufguss Sauna Master Training at St. Andrews Seaside Sauna.

Judith is also Level 2 Pirtis, or Leaf-Whisking, trained. Commencing her training in 2022, she continues to attend regular masterclasses and invests in her team, putting staff through professional sauna skills courses.

St. Andrews Seaside Sauna welcomes visiting Sauna Masters and runs regular Full Moon, Astrology and Sauna Yoga Sessions. Judith and other trained Sauna Masters can be added to group sauna sessions. Wellness Retreats can be curated to guests’ needs.

Judith was invited to speak at the inaugural British Sauna Society Sauna Summit in 2024, attended the World Sauna Forum in Finland in 2024, the Sweathouse Festival in Ireland in 2025, both UK & Ireland Sauna Summits, and is due to attend the International Sauna Congress in Norway in 2026.

Scottish Seaside Saunas collaborates with Nàdair Adventures, operating regular sauna retreats, to Norway and Finland. In 2025, Scottish Seaside Sauna hosted the first Sauna and Wild Swimming Book Festival. Authors Emma O’Kelly and British Sauna Society co-founder, Mika Meskanen spoke, along with a panel of medical and research professionals.

Judith is part of a Sauna and Menopause Research Group and operates Menopause Cafés, in St. Andrews Seaside Sauna.

All Scottish Seaside Saunas are more than just places where people can enjoy a sauna, they play an active role in their communities, are operated with the highest level of integrity, honesty, ethical principles, and operating practices, with the aim of establishing standards and a framework to follow; demonstrating leadership in health & safety, design, training, knowledge, research, and depth and breadth of experiences, in growing and extending sauna culture; striving constantly to make authentic sauna culture as accessible to and inclusive of as great a range of individuals, on as regular a basis as possible.