Wildsmith spa concept to debut at The Bothy

Wildsmith Skin will debut its inaugural spa concept at Heckfield Place’s long-awaited The Bothy spa. 

The 1,579sqm spa, described as a place where guests can slow their breathing, slow time and reconnect to nature’s rhythms, is housed in a purpose-built, standalone building surrounded by trees on the edge of the Heckfield estate in Hampshire, UK. 

Once completed, it will feature ten treatment rooms and three movement spaces, and will offer treatments and products from Wildsmith Skin, Heckfield Place’s in-house performance skincare brand. 

Designed in keeping with the spa’s ethos of reconnection, the treatment menu will offer a series of rituals that work with the body’s circadian rhythms – the cycle of natural physical, mental and behavioural changes that occur in a 24-hour period. 

Viewed as a collaboration between the client and practitioner, treatments will use Wildsmith products and include a complimentary 15-minute consultation with a master practitioner, using kinesiology techniques to determine the client’s needs. 

Additionally, Wildsmith has created three bespoke massage oils: Vitality, Purity and Stillness, each with its own blend of essential oils to align with different stages of circadian rhythms to create a personalised experience tailored to each guest.

“The Bothy is a shelter where we can all reconnect with nature and rebalance our perception of time,” said Reka Seres, director of spa operations at Heckfield Place.

Katherine Pye, general manager of Wildsmith Skin, said: “The Bothy is all about disconnecting from the every day and working with nature and the rhythm of time, and the Wildsmith brand, which is so inspired by the Heckfield estate, is a true reflection of this philosophy.” 

“We nurture a deep connection to the natural world, restoring the relationship between native plants and humans.”

Inspired by William Walker Wildsmith, the botanist who planted Heckfield Place’s arboretum in the 19th-century, Wildsmith Skin combines powerful bio-actives with nutrient-rich botanicals in an approach described as ‘radical botany’, to create effective and clinically proven natural skincare. 

“The woods are a constant source of inspiration and wonder. The anatomy of the trees, the way they deliver nutrients, adapt, heal and grow have guided our philosophy for natural, high-performance skincare and experiences,” Pye added.

As The Bothy gently moves toward opening, Heckfield Place is seeking to expand its team with a host of practitioners offering range of diverse skills and healing modalities. Wellness manager Manos Dimoudis would love to connect with therapists who take a holistic, guest-centric approach with a focus on achieving optimal wellness. 

“The aim is to achieve a state of equilibrium, which requires holding the space for guests to allow integration of their state of health,” Dimoudis said. 

 “Health is universal. It is an expression of universal creativity, and we live in a constantly creative universe. The human system is an expression of this constant, moment to moment creation of renewal.”