Kyle Markmann and Ashley Baldwin, of Newcastle, stand on the grounds of their Nordic spa, Waterstruck Wellness, at 600 River Road. The couple hopes the spa, which they opened in November, will be a social gathering place as well as a place for locals to practice self-care. (Molly Rains photo)
In the woods of Newcastle, a Nordic spa offers visitors an opportunity to immerse themselves in temperature extremes and, owners Ashley Baldwin and Kyle Markmann hope, in community.
“It is both a social outlet and a space for wellness,” Baldwin said of Waterstruck Wellness, which she and Markmann opened in November.
Baldwin and Markmann became hooked on the sauna experience through visits to thermal spas while traveling. On trips to Quebec, the couple spent days outside hiking and skiing before turning in to relax at the spa – and ultimately loved the experience so much that they built a sauna at their previous residence in Whitefield.
The couple began to invite friends and family over to experience the benefits of the sauna together. Soon, Baldwin said, the practice became an opportunity for a unique kind of slower, mindful connection, as well as a healthy habit.
“It was a really lovely way to introduce people to each other, bring together community, so as we did those more and more, we really loved being able to do that for people,” she said. “We decided to try to make it a business, and figure out how to create that kind of community space around sauna and hydrotherapy.”
At Waterstruck Wellness, that vision came to life. At 600 River Road in Newcastle, Waterstruck Wellness offers a wood-fired sauna, a heated plunge pool, a cold immersion tank, outdoor shower, and relaxing seating. This combination is designed to facilitate what Baldwin and Markmann refer to as the “Nordic circuit:” a cycle of heat, cold, and rest they say has broad benefits for the mind and body.
The couple recommends starting with heat in the pool or sauna for about 15 minutes before cooling down quickly in the plunge pool or shower. In winter months, simply walking outside will do the trick.
Then comes the part of the circuit that Baldwin said is less common in American thermal spas: rest.
“When we initially opened, the concept of the entire circuit together, especially including rest, was a little foreign,” she said. “I feel like it can be hard for us as Americans to actually rest.”
Baldwin and Markmann believe that rest is an integral part of the experience. As visitors adapt to the concept, they said, more spa users seem to be embracing the idea, too.
“Initially, they’re like, I need to get into the pool, into the sauna, into the pool, into the sauna,” Baldwin said. “Now we see folks bringing their journal or bringing a book and resting and relaxing. It’s lovely to see how that shifts in people.”
Baldwin said benefits of the thermal cycle can range from improved cardiovascular performance and mobility to relief from the side effects of Lyme disease or assistance recovering from exertion or surgery.
At Waterstruck Wellness, she said, the fact that the space is shared means it also can have social benefits. Each session typically has about 12 spots for participants.
The wood-fired sauna and pool at Waterstruck Wellness in Newcastle on an afternoon in May. The Nordic spa, which opened in November, is designed to facilitate rest and recovery, according to owners Kyle Markmann and Ashley Baldwin. (Molly Rains photo)
“You know you’re going to be here with other people,” Baldwin said.
Rewarding moments for the couple have included watching strangers get to know one another over the course of a session, with some forging new friendships and returning together for future visits.
“Places to meet other people and to be able to congregate, especially once you are in your 20s and 30s, a lot of the times, those spaces are bars, and it can be exhausting,” she said.
Baldwin and Markmann hope Waterstruck Wellness can function as a place to forge connections grounded in wellness and self-care. Along those lines, the couple has also started a social running club that meets every other Thursday at Dodge Point Preserve, just down the road from the sauna. Some visitors follow the run club with a sauna session, the couple said, noting the thermal experience can ease recovery.
They also hope the experience can bring users closer to the land: they are planting a meditation garden in the paddock of the site’s former barn, and working on walking trails through their property’s forest that stretches down to the river. This spring, Markmann tapped the sugar maple trees on the property and made a batch of maple syrup; to celebrate, the couple hosted a maple sugaring and sauna workshop at the end of sugaring season.
The couple has plans to offer other workshops, from sound healing to birding and foraging, as well as yoga classes. All workshops incorporate a Nordic circuit session at the spa.
Recognizing that some people want to focus on the sensory experience of the spa without distraction, Markmann and Baldwin also offer silent sessions, usually held in the evening on the cycle of the full and new moon. On the full moon nights, the light of the moon bathes spa visitors, Baldwin said, while on new moon nights the stars are especially luminous.
Waterstruck Wellness also offers private sessions and half- and full-day retreats.
Trying new things at the site and working with community members to hold classes has been a rewarding part of seeing the business develop, the couple said.
As Waterstruck Wellness moves into its first summer in operation, Markmann and Baldwin say they are looking forward to embracing the new season and building on their connections within the community.
For more information, go to waterstruckwellness.com or email hello@waterstruckwellness.com.
