It boasts a wood-fired sauna, bubbly hot tub, cold plunge, and a cosy lodge lounge
It’s 10am on a Saturday and I’m in a cold water plunge barrel in the Welsh woodlands. As much as I once rolled my eyes at anything remotely woo-woo I’ve somehow joined the ever-expanding wellness-industrial complex.
These days, instead of slamming sambuca shots I’m booking sauna sessions and ice baths, cosplaying as a discount Gwyneth Paltrow. Alas the ‘lady garden’ candle remains financially out of reach.
My latest wellness sesh took place at fforest Natural Spa, a natural spa near glorious Cardigan Bay. Comprising changing rooms, wood-fired sauna, bubbly hot tub, cold plunge, and a cosy lodge lounge this spa is where I came to disconnect and escape the tyranny of emails and deadlines. From superstar gigs to cosy pubs find out What’s On in Wales by signing up to our newsletter here.
The natural spa is surrounded by countryside and woodland and sits within Forest Farm, which covers around 200 acres by the River Teifi gorge, right next to the Teifi Marshes nature reserve.
You are only a few minutes from Cardigan, close enough to the beaches and the Wales Coast Path, and perfectly placed on the border of Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion for exploring this very good-looking corner of west Wales.
Here you’ll find accommodation including geodesic domes and a recently-renovated Georgian farmhouse. There is also a tiny on-site seasonal pub called Y Bwthyn, the oldest building on the farm, and an extremely snug spot for a cheeky drink.
On this occasion I had not come for a tiny pub sesh – I was here for a feel-good Saturday spa morning, starting with a cold plunge.
Despite the temperature hovering around two degrees during this hideous cold snap I decide it is a fantastic idea to lower myself into a wooden barrel of freezing water in the name of health. My long-suffering husband declines, watching from a safe distance with mild disbelief.
I confidently explain that cold water immersion offers immune system boosts, better sleep, improved stress response, and increased happiness.
The second I get in it becomes clear I am nowhere near as Wim Hof as I imagined and I immediately shriek: “Oh my actual (insert swearing) Christ, it’s FREEZING.”
After a brief but dignified bout of hysteria I manage to pull myself together, sink properly into the water, and attempt to clear my mind.
Despite my smug self-proclaimed status as a ‘cold water swimmer’ (questionable) my mind is willing but my body is absolutely not. Middle age creeps up on you like that.
As I slow my breathing a giddy endorphin rush kicks in and I feel briefly powerful, like an ice queen. I may not be able to feel my feet but I am clearly in control and deserve a sauna.
Conveniently there is a gorgeous wood-fired cedar barrel sauna right by the plunge pool, offering steamy relief and a place to decompress.
Saunas have long been used to ease aches, relieve tension, and support everything from cardiovascular health to stress reduction. For some it is a spiritual ritual. For me it is mainly about switching off.
I ignore the relentless ping of emails and WhatsApp groups and let the heat do its thing as I stew in my own thoughts, breathing in the earthy tang of scorched wood and rising steam.
We sit in blissful silence. No buzzing phones. No life admin. No discussion about who is taking the bins out tomorrow (not me).
My mind drifts somewhere between a meditative state and a low-level panic about whether my mascara is melting down my face because I have, of course, forgotten to remove it.
Every pore is open for business. I am sweating from places I did not know could sweat. Elbows, for example. But I feel something close to peace – or possibly dehydration. Either way it works. I am full of wellness.
Even my normally hyper-verbal husband seems more chill, now fully sold on the sweating concept after discovering there is also a hot tub here.
A few steps away is another wood-fired sauna with countryside views and an adjacent hut where you can unwind in a dressing gown and drink complimentary herbal tea while unlocking new levels of wellbeing.
We sit in relative silence listening to the sounds of nature. For about four minutes. Then we are straight back to discussing the Stranger Things finale. What does the Mind Flayer actually want? No-one knows.
Eventually it was time to leave the steam and ice plunge behind so we shuffled into the cosy Lodge lounge and collapsed into the armchairs by the fire like exhausted pensioners.
Complimentary coffee in hand I let the warmth seep back into my frozen toes, congratulated myself on surviving the cold plunge without permanent brain damage, and allowed myself a small smug glow of wellness triumph.
Right now you can choose from the day spa experience, which includes a two-hour nature spa experience on a Saturday or Sunday starting from £40 per person.
Or you can take advantage of Albion Aberteifi’s current winter stay and spa offer, which costs £245 and covers one night with breakfast, plus time at the Nature Spa at beautiful Fforest Farm. It’s one of my favourite hotels in the area for a stylish stay with a river view.
Perched on the riverside in Cardigan the adults-only Albion Aberteifi hotel blends seafaring charm with maritime design featuring original sketches and calculations by 1800s shipwrights.
Just four months after opening The Times and The Sunday Times named it the Best Place to Stay in Wales 2023 and it’s easy to see why.
The Times journalist said of the property: “Expect more of a grown-up vibe here (no children are allowed) with a moody bar serving the Albion Collins, a heavenly blend of mead and local gin.”
Each of the 12 en suite rooms feels like a captain’s cabin with reclaimed wood-panelled walls, 150-year-old oak floors, Welsh wool blankets, custom furniture, and river views from every window.
The hotel wears the town’s maritime past with plenty of character and design features. Contemporary comforts sit alongside the quirks of the original buildings giving a historic feel while providing plenty of modern amenities.
Old stone and timber are left proudly on show giving the place a sense of history you can actually feel. Head up to the third floor and the walls tell their own story – lime-washed surfaces covered with mid-19th-century pencil sketches of tall ships alongside careful notes on rope lengths and sail sizes.
Breakfast is served in the relaxed resident lounge where you’ll also find crafted cocktails, wines, and local beers by night and coffee and cake by day.
