An hour in a social sauna has become a favourite activity in all the best cities, so it was just a matter of time before Liverpool got its own Nordic complex, steps from the wishbone footbridge over the Prince’s Dock. Wyld, a 30-capacity floating sauna and water circuit, opened in late November, thanks to the efforts of Tom Berendsen and Jon Miller. The co-founders were inspired by holidays in Norway and the Netherlands and convinced local authorities to lean into the trend.
Miller designed the modular, low-impact destination in thermally treated alder and spruce and faced the main structure in charred wood. The sauna itself is powered by a hand-crafted Finnish heater and a bucket of vulcanite sauna stones, which deliver a rapid, restorative steam. All the mod cons of contemporary gyms have been incorporated, along with underfloor heating.
Photography: Wyld – Alex Barlow
Photography: Wyld – Alex Barlow
Photography: Wyld – Alex Barlow
Photography: Wyld – Alex Barlow
Visitors can partake in four wood-tub ice baths, cold waterfall showers and heated showers – or jump off the dock into the swim. Miller created a bespoke eco-friendly salt scrub to take the place of harmful soaps and artificial products and added plenty of outdoor seating where guests can gather during their hour-long session.
Unlike spas in most Nordic countries, nudity is forbidden at Wyse, for better or worse.
