Our Story

Folkestone Sea Sauna is a ‘not for profit’ community group who campaigned to establish a ‘first of its kind’ in the UK, permanent and all electric community sauna by the sea, to serve the sea swimming community of Folkestone and Hythe.

Where did it start?

Folkestone Sea Sauna was founded in 2018 by Peter Blach, initially started as a Facebook Group, which later became constitutionalised. Peter grew up in Denmark and is familiar with the sauna culture. After falling in love with sea swimming and witnessing the Danish winter bathing revolution over the past decade, it became a dream and an ambition of his to establish a similar Danish-style community sauna concept in the UK.

Why choose Sandgate?

Peter and his group was looking at different location for the sauna and in the summer of 2021 they started conversations with the Folkestone Rowing Club. The rowing club had a rundown garage-like storage building near the seafront which used to have a small sauna installed in the 80’s. Folkestone Sea Sauna could see the potential and proposed to refurbish and insulate the building and install a Finnish style sauna with a changing room.

The Rowing Club was keen to welcome the sea swimmers and Folkestone Sea Sauna set out to raise the necessary funds.

How was it funded?

The funding was raised through crowdfunding with some large donations by KCC, Folkestone & Hythe Council and SAGA.

The sauna was opened in December 2022.