We are absolutely thrilled to share some fantastic news from the shores of The Lake. Our friends and partners, Embers Sauna, who operate their beautiful authentic saunas right here on our site, have been named as regional finalists in the prestigious UK StartUp Awards 2026!

Embers Sauna has been shortlisted in the South West for the Hospitality, Tourism & Events StartUp of the Year category. Founded just last year in 2025 by Claire and Ed as a proactive response to career uncertainty, the business was born out of a shared passion for the great outdoors. In just twelve months, they have grown into a dedicated team of five and carved out a unique, much-loved space in our regional wellness community.

If you are a regular here at The Lake, you will already know how perfectly their sanctuary complements what we do. Every week, we see so many of our visitors combining a refreshing open-water dip with a restorative session in the Embers wood-fired saunas. This combination of traditional heat and cold-water immersion, known as contrast therapy, has helped so many of us reconnect with nature while giving our physical and mental wellbeing a massive boost.

Speaking on this incredible milestone, Embers Sauna co-founder Claire Charles shared her excitement:

“When we founded Embers, our mission was to create a sanctuary where people could reconnect with nature and themselves through the power of authentic sauna culture.

“Seeing that vision recognised on a national stage makes me immensely proud of our team and deeply grateful to the community that has supported us from our very first fire.

“We are looking forward to the regional final, knowing that winners will then move on to represent the South West at the national final at Ideas Fest in September 2026.”

The UK StartUp Awards were launched to recognize the booming new business scene across the country. With over 2,000 entries this year and more than 832,000 new businesses registered in the UK in 2025 alone, making the shortlist is a huge testament to the ability of Claire and Ed to transform a small dream into a thriving, impactful reality. As Professor Dylan Jones-Evans OBE, co-founder of the awards, perfectly put it, this year’s finalists “represent the very best of British entrepreneurial talent.”

We want to wish Claire, Ed, and the entire Embers Sauna team the absolute best of luck at the regional finals. We have all our fingers crossed that they’ll be heading to the national finals at Champneys this September!

Next time you are joining us for a swim at The Lake, why not book a sauna session and experience their award-nominated wellness sanctuary for yourself?

To find out more about Embers Sauna or to book a session, visit their website at .embers-sauna.co.uk.