The best 50 minutes you'll spend outdoors this week.
Sauna and cold-water immersion at Chipping Norton Lido. Contrast therapy the way it's meant to be done, outside, by the water, with proper heat.
How it works?
A session unfolds like a story. Each phase builds on the last, moving you from tension toward clarity. You'll understand it better once you're here.
Book online
Pick your session and time. Sessions run Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, weekends, and most are spread across the day. Your confirmation arrives instantly, with everything you need.
Arrive and settle in
There's no rush. The sauna will be hot. Your host walks you through it, how long to stay in, how to approach the cold water, what to expect.
Heat, cold, repeat — finish on the cold
Two or three rounds is the sweet spot. End on the cold, not the heat, then settle under the pergola and let your body warm itself back up in the open air instead of reaching for a hot shower. That slow reheat does a lot of the work. Sessions run 50 minutes, and you'll leave feeling like you've had a full night's sleep and a workout rolled into one.
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You already know something's missing from your week.
Most people come to Still & Wild because someone told them to. They're not sure what to expect and by the end of the first session, they can't believe they waited this long.
Here's what actually happens. You spend 10-15 minutes in a properly hot sauna. Your body softens. Your mind quietens. Then you step outside to the cold plunges, two set to around 9°C, and a barrel at 5°C. The contrast is the point. Most people do two or three rounds, finishing on the cold and then settling under the pergola to let their body warm itself back up. Most people don't want to leave.
(Cold temps reflect the real setup — separate chilled plunges. "Finish on the cold, then reheat naturally" is the Søberg principle from the blog guide; the pergola is the place it happens.)
The body knows what it needs
Heat opens you. Cold sharpens you. Together they restore what time and habit wear away. The contrast between fire and ice teaches the nervous system to find equilibrium again.
Sauna session
Book a 50-minute session in our Finnish-style wooden sauna, with cold plunges alongside. Go at your own pace, most people do two or three rounds.
Introduction to Contrast Therapy
There's no rush. The sauna will be hot. Your host walks you through it, how long to stay in, how to approach the cold water, what to expect.
Private hire
Two or three rounds is the sweet spot. End on the cold, not the heat, then settle under the pergola and let your body warm itself back up in the open air instead of reaching for a hot shower. That slow reheat does a lot of the work. Sessions run 50 minutes, and you'll leave feeling like you've had a full night's sleep and a workout rolled into one.
"Try it, it's brilliant in a brilliant setting. We'll be there this Sunday morning"
"I would 100% recommend the introduction sessions. I enjoyed it so much. Ive been a couple of times since and knowing how to cope in both the heat and cold has goven me the confidence to go and do it on my own. You feel such a buzz afterwards.":
Numbers that speak for themselves
Thousands have walked through our doors seeking change. They've found it in the heat, in the cold, in the quiet between breaths. The results speak louder than any promise we could make.
Sessions completed yearly
Return within three months
Years running strong
Questions
Everything you need to know before you arrive, and what to expect once you do.
Contrast therapy is the practice of moving between heat and cold in repeated cycles. It's been used for centuries and is supported by growing research around recovery, mood, circulation, and stress. Yes it works. The main question is whether you'll prefer two rounds or three.
There are three cold plunges: two set to around 9°C and a barrel plunge at 5°C. They're chilled and held at temperature year-round, so you get the full effect on every visit. Outdoor showers are right next to the setup, and there's an aluminium pergola with seating to relax under between rounds. If you'd like a warmer dip too, the lido's heated pool (around 28°C) can be booked separately through Chipping Norton Lido.
Absolutely. Around half our guests come solo. The sauna is communal, which most people find adds to rather than detracts from the experience.
£15 for a 50-minute session.
There are no hidden costs.
None. Most guests have never done cold water immersion before their first Still & Wild session. Our hosts guide you through the whole process and you go at your own pace.
A swimsuit and a towel. Flip-flops are useful. Changing facilities are available at all venues.
For most healthy adults, yes. If you have a heart condition, high blood pressure, Raynaud’s disease, or are pregnant, please consult your GP first. Our hosts are trained in first aid and cold water safety.
Yes, gift vouchers are available through the booking system at each venue.
Still have questions
Get in touch. We're here to help.
Bring contrast therapy to your venue.
If you run a lido, outdoor pool, or open-water venue, Still & Wild can add a new revenue stream with zero capital outlay. We bring the sauna, the setup, the bookings infrastructure, and the customers. You provide the outdoor space.
The science behind the cold.
Contrast therapy, going back and forth between heat and cold, is an old idea. The Finns have done it for generations, and the Romans before them. People come to us for all sorts of reasons: to recover after training, to sleep better, to clear their heads, or just for how good they feel walking out.
There's a simple idea behind doing it well, from a Danish researcher called Dr Susanna Søberg: finish on the cold, then let yourself warm back up on your own instead of rushing for a hot shower. That's why we built the pergola, a place to sit in the open air while your body does the work. [Read our full guide to making the most of your 50 minutes →]
This isn't medical advice. If you have a heart condition, high blood pressure, or are pregnant, please check with your GP before booking.
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