Wildwood Saunas – known for having steam baths on wheels – has found a new location at the Bilston Creek Farm in Metchosin.
The lavender farm started housing the sauna on July 5 and will be open on Wednesdays until the end of the summer.
“It’s just such a peaceful place to go and relax,” said Wildwood Saunas founder Josh Dupuis. “You feel like you’re in the woods. There’s a little creek when you walk down so you can go jump in that and then we have the cold tub.”
Further up the creek path there’s Sitting Lady Falls that leads down to Witty’s lagoon beach.
The new sauna location has several new amenities on site, including a dunk bucket filled with ice cold water for a chilling experience, a private shower surrounded by forest and soon they’ll have a fire pit for guests to roast their own food. Originally, the sauna was only open for an hour at a time, but at the creek farm they have given their guests an hour and a half to take in the full scenic experience.
Dupuis started the company during pandemic when his ex-partner and him were looking to rent a sauna, but they couldn’t find any options. And so he started building not only his own sauna, but started building several, eventually turning it into a business.
The lavender farm owner Andrew Penn found the hidden gem in Metchosin in 2002 and from there the farm blossomed. “You should have seen photos of that, it looked not like that at all,” said farm sales manager Julie Lavoie, pointing to the picturesque lavender crops behind her. “They did an incredible job after seeing the potential of the farm.”
She said the farm is perfect for lavender because of the soil. Due to the farm being located close to the ocean, there are hints of sand in the soil for lavender to flourish.
“The location here is amazing. Just by the beach and the forest, it’s just very peaceful here. Which is exactly what the sauna experience should be for people,” said Johnathon Loving, who works for Wildwood Saunas.
He uses the sauna daily and loves his job.
“What I enjoy about the job is seeing how people feel when they finish the sauna,” said Loving. “They come in just feeling kind of down and they leave feeling rejuvenated and refreshed. I can really see the difference in people’s attitudes or mood when they leave.”
In the winter, Dupuis plans to have the sauna at the farm for several more days.
“I think we’re still going to be on wheels, but just more permanent.”
The sauna will be open at Bilston Creek Farm on Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. until the end of August.
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