In any spa you can expect to find a decent range of facilities that are open to all users and include some sort of pool, a sauna, a steam room, and a whole series of confusing areas with names ending in ‘arium’. There’s the frigidarium (a cold plunge pool), the caldarium (a steam room with a hot bath), and the tepidarium (a dry room with heated floors).
These are all relics from Roman times – a legacy from the days when a tough day at the office would involve several hours of bathing, cleaning and relaxing in and around the warm spa waters.
Water played a big role in Roman spa therapies, but the tepidarium was a bit different. It was designed as a ‘drying out’ space to be used after a long soak. The floors, walls and benches were heated from below, so the whole room was filled with a semi-warm, semi-humid air that made it perfect for recovering from an arduous spa treatment.
Because the heat isn’t too intense, you can afford to spend an hour or two relaxing inside, and the heated floors and benches are great for helping tired muscles to relax. Lay flat on your back to get the most out of the experience, then close your eyes and imagine you are back in the times of Caesar, culture, and unparalleled decadence.
Stobo Castle
Rockliffe Hall Spa
Nirvana Spa
