Jumping off the country's first sauna boat into a beautiful Highland loch took my breath away

Taymouth Marina on Loch Tay has brought the country’s first sauna cruiser to its waters and it is an experience so elemental, so immersive and so completely tapped into the powers of the surrounding natural beauty, that you are left feeling just blooming great.

The trip also took my breath away as I left the 60 or so degrees Celsius of the sauna and leapt into Loch Tay, where the surface water temperature was a cool 18 on the thermometer and a few degrees cooler than that as I went under.

Moving from hot to cold, from inside to out and from dry to wet on repeat left me feeling slightly ecstatic. Not bad for a Sunday. That will be the serotonin rush triggered by a good jolt to the neurons, caused by the rising body temperature, and the release of dopamine accredited to the well-documented cold water high. I’ve got to say, it is a great combo.

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By the time I left Taymouth, it was the freshest and clearest I had felt in a long time with that sensation lasting a good couple of days. The usual concerns were softened as I returned to everyday business with a bit of balance and clarity. What joy! If you get to try it, I hope it feels the same for you too.

Taymouth owners Eric & Naomi Strickland brought the sauna cruiser to the loch after experiencing one in the Norwegian fjords.

At Loch Tay, we were met by our super able skipper and given a safety briefing before launch. Crucially, we were not to jump straight from the sauna into the water but to dip our ankles in to get our core temperature adjusting and to avoid body shock. No one wanted that on one of the most glorious weekends of the year.

I am now fairly well acclimatised to cold water after taking to jumping in the North Sea for a mental and physical boost. For a while, the surge of cold water over my body was the only thing able to cut through this dragging brain fog I have been suffering from.

Getting over those painful first attempts of entering the sea, when the water felt like needles on the back of my neck, took some resolve. The breakthrough came at the end of a particularly hard day when I arrived at my favourite bay to find the water choppy, high and that particular shade of grey that the North East knows only how.

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Choosing to ‘bugger it’ in the face of it all and launching myself in, the extremes of the day met the extremes of the water, and all seemed equalised. Now, I daydream about that sensation and swimming out to my favourite rock, hopefully under a little sunshine.

Taymouth Marina is known for doing things well, so it was no surprise to discover what a lovely offering the sauna cruiser is. Brand new, it has a gorgeous nordic luxe feel and is super clean and stylish. It takes six people, so perfect for a special day out with pals.

We certainly attracted a great deal of attention as we pushed out onto the loch, which buzzed with people enjoying themselves on various vessels, from paddle boards to old-style sailing boats to something a little more powerful .

As we heated up in the sauna, taking sips of cucumber water between sessions, the water took the light as the sun sat high over Ben Lawers. A drop or two of eucalyptus heightened the senses a little more.

After taking the plunge, I swam out on my back and soaked up the views of the beautiful peaks and ridges that cradle the softest water in the heart of the country. Everything felt connected - and then everything else then just washed away.

- A trip on the Taymouth Marina sauna cruiser costs £55 per person, with a 10% discount for parties of 6 booking the cruise exclusively.

Taymouth Marina, Kenmore, Aberfeldy PH15 2HW. Tel: 01887 830216