Finn Lough – Elements Trail and Spa

Set in Fermanagh, a county in the west of Northern Ireland, you will find a beautiful and tranquil spot known as Finn Lough Forest Hideaway. Here you can stay in stunning accommodation with their chalets and bubble domes right in the middle of nature. The views, especially at night, appear to be absolute magic, however, they can be expensive, so we opted to avail ourselves of their day spa, driving there and back. You will follow a trail through different relaxation rooms set in the forest. The journey takes 2 hours in total with the finale leading you to the relaxation room. Please follow me as I show case the different rooms in the forest trail and explain how they promote calm and tranquility.

On arrival you will meet your guide, found in a very quaint little log cabin. Here they will explain how to proceed along the trail and provide you with a dressing robe, towels, wetproof slippers and a bottle of water. After changing, we were excited and ready to experience some serious relaxation therapy. You spend 20 minutes in each room, with a sand glass timer, you can flick it over to begin the clock and when the sand runs out, you can make your way out to the next room, following along the forest trail. This is a great setup as it will only ever be your party in each room (you could even be on your own). You will not be meeting any other people unless they are vacating a room after you arrive.

1 – Float Room

Here you will literally do what it says on the tin, float! This room contains a bath filled with Epsom salts, the right amount to enable you to float. I have never experienced anything like this in my life. Absolutely amazing to float and feel completely weightless. It is honestly so relaxing, with an inflatable pillow provided, you can rest your eyes here and let all your troubles float away. Apparently floating is great for alleviating stress and muscular pain (sounds good to me).

2 – Lake Sauna

Appropriately titled, this sauna is situated beside the lake. The views here are stunning where you can be sitting in the sauna and looking out at the lake through the large glass window. You are encouraged to take a dip or even a swim in the lake to feel the full effects of the hot and cold contrast from the sauna to the cold water. Although I’m not a fan of cold water, I felt the need to give this a go. After sitting in the sauna for a few minutes, you will feel brave enough to tackle the cold water. At first it is horrifically cold, however, give it a minute or two and you will be surprised how your body adapts to the cold water. In the end it is very refreshing and is supposed to be beneficial for reducing joint and muscle pain as well as providing feelings of relaxation.

3 – Herbal Sauna

Next, we moved onto another sauna. Personally, this was a bit much after having just been in a sauna. However, this one was a good bit cooler and had a lovely citrus aroma, feeling very fresh and healthy for the body. According to Finn Lough, the aromas are great for calming the senses and energizing the respiratory system. We left this sauna a little early as we knew the next room would be the hot tub and this was going to be the highlight for me.

4 – Hot Tub

Now I know a lot of people dislike hot tubs due to cleanliness reasons, but I thoroughly enjoy them, more so when you have the tub all to yourself. The hot tub is set outdoors surrounded by nature and you truly will feel like you are in the middle of nowhere. The massaging jets in the tub feel lovely on your body and really help to make you feel relaxed. You can choose to have a drink in the hot tub, either alcoholic or non-alcoholic, however, we chose to stick with our bottled water. I enjoyed this room the most, I think also because it was outdoors, you really felt one with nature. Thankfully for us, the rain held off.

Relaxation Room

By the time you reach the relaxation room, you will already be completely relaxed. This room allows you to chill out in a cosy atmosphere with comfy benches and cushions by the fire. You can even choose to lie down if you so wish. Here you will also receive some complimentary teas and fresh cold beverages. There are plenty of books available if you want to read for a short time or you can choose to simply look out at the forest through the large windows. After this room and having experienced the previous four rooms, you will be totally and utterly relaxed. After this, you can have a shower with some beautifully sourced shower amenities and change back into your own clothing.

I have to say, I was that much relaxed that I found the drive home to be very tiring, having to drive with the windows open and make a couple of stops. I would highly recommend this experience to anyone, either for a treat to yourself / loved one or as a means of relaxation therapy. It is exceptionally beneficial for the body and the soul and if you don’t want to see other people there, then this is the perfect excursion.

This is a guest post from Wayne. Wayne has recently moved back to Ireland from Australia. Please check out his blog and Instagram account for some great Australian and Irish travel inspiration plus some fabulous door posts!

Thank you Wayne for this very interesting post!