Your first time on the circuit

Most first time guests arrive with the same small worry: what am I supposed to do in there? The honest answer is not much. The thermal circuit works best when you slow down and follow how you feel, but a little structure helps on the first visit, so here is how our hosts suggest spending your first four hours.

Settle in before the water

Give yourself half an hour to change, find your locker and take a warm shower. Put your phone away. The circuit is a quiet space, and the first ten minutes without a screen can feel strange. By the time you step into the garden pool, that feeling usually passes.

Warm first, cool second, rest third. Everything else is detail.

A simple first round

• Ten minutes in the warmest pool you are comfortable in
• A few seconds to a minute in the cold plunge, or a cool shower
• Ten minutes resting on the heated benches with water or tea

Repeat that two or three times. Try the cedar sauna or the steam hall in place of a warm pool on your second round. Notice which you prefer; most guests have a favourite by lunch.

When to stop

If you feel light headed, step out, sit somewhere cool and sip water. Leave a little time at the end to lie still and let your body settle before you drive. The hosts will happily refill your tea while you do.

That is really all there is to it. The second visit is always easier, because you already know where the good bench is.