Steamy twist for quirky new book club

Forget cosy cafes and bookshop back rooms: in one West Yorkshire town, readers have been pulling on their swim suits and diving into a steamy sauna to discuss their latest read.

The iglu book club has proved to be one with a twist because each month readers have gathered in the heat of a Nordic‑style sauna nestled among the hills above Hebden Bridge before braving a cold‑water plunge.

Regulars said the rhythm of hot and cold, paired with conversation and a shared love of reading, created something more immersive than a typical book club.

Organiser Shekina Rose said: "It's really special. Going from the hot to the cold adds something that feels really good for your body and your mind."

While the sauna was warm enough on its own, the passionate book debates could make it feel even warmer, she said.

"Sometimes we get so excited about what we're talking about that it feels hotter than it would usually.

"We've recently read [Muriel Spark's] The Driver's Seat, and the conversation about that was really intense.

"When you're not talking about things like that, you're able to be a bit more meditative."

Rozie Kelly, author and host of the iglu book club, said the group, which started in September, began as "a bit of an experiment".

"I love books and I love saunas and I really wanted to meet some interesting people and have discussions," she said.

"The result has surpassed my expectations. It's so much fun and the conversations flow and fit really naturally with the contrast therapy of going in and out of the sauna and the cold."

Those involved said the reading group helped them escape the rush of daily life by improving mental and physical well being.

Book-lover Jo Harris said: "The whole health benefits of doing the sauna and followed by the cold plunge and then adding in a bit of book chat just makes it that bit more fun."

Meanwhile, Rose said: "Everyone's lives are so busy nowadays and I'm not very good at reading at home, so this is forcing me to read things and also different genres, which has been great.

"We've got a beautiful walking route up to the sauna, so people are walking up there, doing some exercise, then having a sauna and talking about books. It's extremely wholesome."

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