The sauna above the Allyn River
The Day  ·  Chessenden Farm  ·  No overnight

Hot cedar. Cold river.
Home by dark.

One day on a working farm in the Allyn River Valley. A sauna on the rock above the river, the cold water below it, and a picnic that refuses to hurry. You drive up in the morning and drive home different.

1
Day
2–8
Guests · private
4+
Sauna rounds
0
Bags to pack
Yours
The whole river

The shape of the day.

Nothing is scheduled tightly, because that would defeat the point. But the day has a shape, and the shape works.

Mid-morning
Arrive at the Dairy House
Coffee on the verandah. Phones into the drawer if you're willing. The valley does its first quiet work on you here.
Late morning
Down to the river
A short walk to the sauna on the rock. Towels, robes and water are already there. The fire has been going for an hour.
Midday onward
Heat, river, rest. Repeat.
Rounds of hot cedar and cold Allyn water, with nowhere to be in between. Most people stop counting after the third.
Afternoon
The long picnic
Laid out on wool blankets by the water. Cheese, sourdough, smoked things, wine if you want it. It ends when it ends.
Cold water in the Allyn
The cold plunge is a river, not a barrel
The picnic table by the river
The picnic, set before you arrive

Why hot and cold
works on you.

The sauna sits on the rock above the Allyn. Heat until your thoughts slow down, then walk down and get into the river. The water comes off the Barrington Tops and it does not negotiate.

The third round is where it happens. The chatter stops. Time goes soft. People who arrived talking about work find themselves lying on warm rock saying nothing, and meaning it.

Everything is provisioned: towels, robes, drinking water, a fire already burning. Your only job is the walking between hot and cold, and the river carries the rest.

I
HeatCedar, river stones, eucalyptus on the coals. Ten to fifteen minutes.
II
RiverStraight in. The Allyn is the plunge pool. Thirty seconds is enough. You'll stay longer.
III
RestWarm rock, river sound, nothing required of you. This is the part that is actually the product.
∞
RepeatUntil the picnic calls, or the light changes, or you simply stop needing it.

The day ends. Some of it doesn't.

The things you use on the day are made things, not hired things. Part of what you sit on, drink from and eat goes home in the car with you.

You picnic on it · You keep it
The Southerly Wool Blanket
The blanket your picnic is laid on is yours. Australian wool, made to be left in the boot of the car for the rest of its life, so the day comes with you every time you open it.
You eat from it · You keep it
The Calico Hamper
What's left of the picnic is packed into a calico hamper as you leave. The rest of the loaf, the smoked salt, the good cheese. Breakfast tomorrow is still the farm.
You drink from it · You keep it
The Enamel Cup
Coffee on arrival, river water between rounds, wine at the picnic. One cup all day, stamped with the property's coordinates. It goes home dented and correct.

One day. Properly.

Private bookings for two to eight people. Tell us who's coming and we'll hold a date.

A$350 per person, everything above included  ·  Allyn River Valley, NSW