The Welsh farm bringing sauna culture to the countryside with its new wellness space

Jules Millward

A south Wales farm is putting its own spin on sauna culture with a new riverside wellness retreat, complete with a wood-fired sauna and cold plunges, just one year after opening an off-grid camping site to help secure the future of the farm.

Outdoor saunas and contrast therapy are growing in popularity in Wales, and now Garth Glamping, based at Ynysgau Farm in Gwaeold Y Garth is preparing to open their new wellness space this month.

The latest addition builds on the success of the campsite, which opened last year to help diversify working cattle farm. The owners, Jordan Lewis and her husband Gerwyn, stepped in to help Gerwyn’s stepfather Clive, who was born on the farm more than 80 years ago, as his health declined and running the farm became increasingly difficult.

The couple didn’t want to just sell the farm as it has been in the family for over a century but knew they didn’t have the farming experience to run it effectively.

Jordan said that although they are trying to learn, the farm is not something they could just take over and they needed to think of a new way to keep the farm going, so in May 2025, they opened the camp site.

“We didn’t want to just sell it, so we thought how could we do something else that’s going to keep the farm going and make the farm money?

“We realised there was nothing like this in the area, so we decided to go for it.”

Drawing on their own love of camping, the couple decided to open an off-grid campsite which would give guests the experience of a rural stay, just minutes from Cardiff.

“When you’re there, you feel like you’re in the middle of nowhere, but actually five or ten minutes down the road you’re back in the city.”

They have kept the campsite intentionally small with just five fully furnished bell tents and ten pitches for tents or campervans and fire pits for each pitch. Children are able to enjoy the campsite safely, making use of the shared facilities, and no WIFI means the parents are able to disconnect, and relax.

They wanted to build something that was respectful to the farmland, so rather than expand the campsite itself, the couple are now focusing on enhancing the experience with their new wellness space.

Owner Jordan Lewis said: “”People are coming to stay with us to have a break, to disconnect from work, life and all the stresses. I think they go hand in hand with the wellness side of it.”

The sauna will be open to both campsite guests and local visitors, with Jordan also hoping to host outdoor yoga classes, women’s only sessions, Pilates, and other retreats.

Accessibility has also been a key consideration for the campsite, with guests being able to arrive by train, and the fully equipped bell tents and communal kitchen mean that guests can arrive with “just a backpack.”

Jordan added: “There are so many people who don’t drive… they won’t be able to do these things because they don’t have a car.”

That philosophy extends beyond the campsite itself. Through the Garth Foundation, the family hopes to continue offering subsidised and free stays for families who might not otherwise experience a countryside break.

Their recently refurbished cabin Ponderosa, which translates to ‘pine’, was created for this who want the experience of camping without having to stay in a tent.

For Jordan, the aim has never been to create the biggest campsite, but one that helps people reconnect with nature, each other and themselves.

“Everything is there that you need and that’s just enough.”

You can book a stay at the campsite, or in their new cabin Ponderosa here.

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