Stand-offs

terzian.artin at Ankavan (Armenia)

A tour? A giro? A ronde? A vuelta?
Or just an overview of some soaking news from Europe.
Starting off with the general info. Wildcamping.tips tries to make a database of

'... free accessible natural hot springs from all over the world'

Most are from Iceland and mainland Europe, not much beyond apparently (?).

laraluksic at Grič pri Klevevžu (Slovenia):

🌿❄️ #placeformysoul #winter#ididit #andilovedit #hotspring

The Guardian (Dec. 4) has European affordable spa's on it's roster: Istanbul to Iceland, Turkish baths in Harrogate and palatial banya's in Moscow.

Mastering

raimirza

We found hot springs that came from the ground in this little Cove next to the ocean on our ATV exploration. @becomingyou modelling here although the water was very hot! Apparently the hot springs have been used since Ancient Greek times by nobility as therapeutic waters.#greece #kythnos #happyplacefound #hotsprings #travel #wander #wanderlust #worldshotz #travelphotography #travelphotographer #nikon #vsco #exploreeverything #exploregreece #passionpassport #instapassport #travelgram #bikinigirl #bikini #prettyinpink #vacation #summer2017

Rediscovering Eleftheron hot springs. In Transit (Feb. 24) tours northern Greece and comes across this excellent hot spring:

'Turning off a regular looking coastal road in Kavala, Greece and with little civilisation around, we pulled up to Elefteron (Ελευθερών). Our first thoughts? This place is SUPER. CREEPY. In fact, we actually spent a few minutes debating whether or not it was too creepy to stay overnight... then Alice saw friendly stray dogs, so the decision was made (as it often is where dogs are concerned). After consulting our good friend Google, from what we can gather, this place was a working thermal spa resort up until as recently as 2009. Now, it seems to be mostly characterised by dilapidated buildings; many dilapidated buildings. Despite that, it was actually quite a social hub, and we watched for a while as people would come and go.
...

On the second day, I plucked up the courage to go for a soak. The water was around 40 Degrees Celsius with rich sulfur sources - which I was happy about since it basically made my eczema disappear. Whilst I was in there, I couldn't help thinking about how incredible nature is. I thought back to my previous couple of blog posts where I had been down on the weather, and it reminded me that regardless of how inconvenient nature might be... It's still incredible, and something that we should really appreciate and protect. I couldn't help feel sad and wonder why this beautiful place had been abandoned. After doing some research, there seems to be a 'stand-off' in regards to the future of Elefteron. In 2012, the government planned to allow investors to buy the site and turn it back into a spa resort. These plans were called into question by a Citizen's Initiative who wish to protect the archaeological significance of the site. Due to, I assume, the economic climate of the country, the abandoned thermal spring seems to have been forgotten about (formally at least). Meanwhile, it appears to be enjoyed by locals, tourists and travellers a like. An unusual find, and certainly a memorable overnight stop'. 

vantast1cvan at Eleftheron:

We found an another wild hot spring. Thank you Greece for the great memories and wild camping friendliness. We sure are going to miss You 🇬🇷🚐🍾🍺 Tomorrow brand new country ahead! #hotsprings #greece #roadtrip #homelesschic#wildhotsprings #braineatingameba#goodtimes❤️

Coincidentally, ThinkGeoenergy (Dec. 8) notes that greedy hands are eyeing the non-development:

'"the municipality is in the process of developing a master plan for the optimal utilization of the municipal area combined with the exploitation of the geothermal field”.

The geothermal field of Akropotamos is located in the coastal zone of the Municipality of Pangeo between the area of Loutra Eleuthera and the beach of Karyne on the main land of Greece'.

Lesser 

Rough Guides (Feb. 28) notes 6 reasons why to visit Iceland in 2018:

'4. You can take a dip in Iceland's newest hot springs

...

Now, however, you can soak the day away at Krauma, a sleek and sophisticated geothermal complex ninety minutes northeast of Reykjavík. Its five pools are fed by Deildartunguhver, Europe's most powerful hot spring, and are cooled to a temperature that's suitable for bathing by glacial meltwater from the Rauðsgil river'.

abbijayne at Hrunulaug

Cheers to #iceland!

The hot springs of Iceland are the backdrop of a Playboy shoot (Fappeningblog, Jan. 10).

Less glamour, the Reykjavik Grapevine (Mar. 5), for reasons unbeknownst to us, notes the following and attributes the subscript:

'Icelandic life ain’t easy. Here are [one of] the latest works from Grapevine cartoonists Elín Elísabet and Lóa':

Seven reasons to visit Iceland? A slightly older blog entry (Dec. 28, 2016) by Holidayfromwhere.

'Less people:

I have only really seen photos of this place kind of crowded or with at least a few groups of people here. We didn’t see anyone the entire time so we took the chance to enjoy it el natural'.

Regulated

Spain's Arnedillo. Onlylifeweknow (Feb. 28):

'We went to another free hot spring /thermal bath, this time in Arnedillo, Spain.
After midnight, under the stars and the moon. Cold air, nice hot water and we have the pools for ourselves ❤️'.

We decided to stay for a few days here in Arnedillo. The weather is great, we found a great vanlife spot and we have the thermal pools just a few meters away.

Taking hot baths every day isn't something we're used to'.

The Iberian island of Espalmador, just off the coast of Ibiza and home to the famous mud baths is not for sale anymore according to the Guardian (Mar. 18):

'The spokesperson told Spain’s Efe news agency the new owners had bought it for their own use and were fully aware of regulations that protect it as part of the Ses Salines natural park'.

robertvasicek in south Spain

#termas de #santafe #termasdesantafe #thermal #basin #swimmingpool#andalusia #spain #espana #spanelsko

Mingling

Hot on the heels of the Irish seaweed baths, I learnt that Ireland also had it's own homegrown sweatlodges. Irishmegaliths:

'Irish Sweathouses are small, rare, beehive-shaped, corbelled structures of field-stones, rarely more than 2 metres in external height and diameter, with very small "creep" entrances which may have been blocked by clothing, or by temporary doors of peat-turves, or whatever came to hand. Most of those which survive could not have accommodated more than three or four sweaters. They resemble the small 'caves', built into banks, in which many Irish natives were reported to live in the seventeenth century.
Some have chinks to let out the smoke, but they were necessarily cleared of fire and ash before use - so any chinks (deliberate or otherwise) in the rough construction would have served as ventilation ducts in a cramped space. Where these were too big, they were stopped with sods or with mortar.
They were often covered with sods of earth to counterweight and stabilise the corbelling, and these would also have acted as insulation after firing. That they were fired is certain, for soot remains on the Thus they are different from North American sweat-lodges or ceilings of some.
They are different from the North Anerican sweat-lodges ot inpis, which were rarely if ever stone-built, and were heated by carrying hot stones from a nearby fire. Northern European saunas and bath-houses are a modern variant, with an enclosed stove upon or around which stones were placed. Stone retains heat very well'.

There seems very little info; for instance it's unclear if these were early nineteenth century or from much early. What is known is that the Irish have discontinued this practice. Amayodruid:

'Sweat Houses were used in Ireland from the earliest times down to early in the 19th century for the cure of rheumatism; it was also reputedly a cure for temporary madness.
Many Sweathouses’ were round structures with a corbelled roof very similar to the beehive huts. Some had a hole in the roof to allow smoke to escape and this hole would be covered with a flat slab of stone prior to sealing the naked person using the sweathouse inside. It has also been recorded that mixed groups of men and women used sweat houses, again entering naked
They are generally sited next to or near water (a stream, river or Lough). The surviving examples are usually about seven feet in height and about the same in diameter with a low lintel covered door through which you must crawl.
Archaeological evidence suggest that a large turf fire was started inside the house and kept burning until the temperature inside became hot, after which the embers and ashes were swept out. Rushes or other plants were then placed within the house to form a cool surface on which to stand or sit.
There is also evidence to suggest that instead of lighting a fire within, some sweathouses used hot rocks heated outside the sweathouse and then placed inside, very similar to the Native American methods. Then the person who wished to use it, wrapping themselves in a blanket crawled inside and sat down. The door was closed up and the person would remain within for an hour or so until a state of complete perspiration had been attained.
Then crawling out you would plunge straight into cold water (nearby stream etc) after which you would be rubbed down until you became warm. This process would be carried out a number of times. After several baths at intervals of some days the person commonly got cured.
It has been suggested that sweathouses were generally used around autumn; this is around the same time as the Celtic festival of Samhain with its associations of mingling with the dead and communing with the ancestors and of travelling between the worlds.
Although we would not have used certain mind altering substances that some may find available today the use of magic mushrooms and other commonly found plants which appear at this time would and were used. This would enable the users of sweathouses to produce a consciousness altering experience in which people could interact with the spiritual forces through visions. This may have been of use to any religious faction, Pagan or Christian. So now we have both a healing function and a spiritual one making these structures extremely important to the local community.
By the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries the accepted use of sweathouses may have become part of the folklore of a community, a way of placating the faerie folk in case some disaster may happen. If anyone doubts the strength of belief in the Sidhe here in Ireland I would suggest you read the article I have posted concerning the case of Bridget Cleary. In the early twentieth century this poor unfortunate woman was burned to death because people believed that she was a changeling'.

Experiencing seaweed baths in Enniscrone. Justin+Lauren (Mar. 19):

'When I was ready, I was instructed to strip down and soak in the tub. From there, I could alternate between the tub and the cedar sauna box.
Though it might not look like a fancy day spa, this was one of my favourite spa experiences of all time. There’s nothing better than what nature provides.
I perched my body inside the wooden cabinet, while my head stuck out of a hole in the top. The wooden cabinet filled with fresh seawater vapour, enveloping my entire body and opening my pores.
The oils from the seaweed formed a velvety layer on the surface of my skin. It felt a little bit slimy, but very moisturizing and nourishing.
My skin felt so amazing after this natural therapeutic treatment. While I might have smelled a little bit like seaweed or the beach, I was willing to take the risk of smelling a little bit pungent for the overall sensation of the treatment.
I’ve visited many day spas in the past, and nothing truly compared to the long lasting effects of the seaweed bath. When I was in the bathtub, my skin felt like a layer of oily ooze penetrated the surface. But, my skin felt so soft and moisturized for days following this traditional Irish seaweed soak. The tension left my aching muscles, and I felt energized to continue my road trip'.

A seabath is to open near Dublin (Irish Times, Feb. 21):

'The 132-year-old Clontarf Seawater Baths, Dublin, will open to the public next week following the granting of a full seven-day publican’s licence on Wednesday at the Circuit Civil Court.

Publican and hotelier David Cullen was in court before Judge Doirbhile Flanagan to hear the finalisation of his 25-year-long dream to re-open the baths.

The development consists of an open seawater swimming pool, bar and restaurants which will be managed by Mr Cullen’s son David'.

Dieing

romerome at Bagni di San Filippo (Toscana):

🤗#nature #birthdaysuit #hotsprings

Viterbonews24 (Oct. 10) notes the difficulties concerning the allocation of thermal waters to public and private concerns. retedellereti (Nov. 14) likewise explains the difficulties while there are more recent articles by IlMessaggero (Feb. 19), NewTuscia (Feb. 13) and IlMessaggero (Feb. 20).

Nearby, the source of Petriolo (Firenze Repubblica, Mar. 8) has been closed after the water went dark. Google Translate:

'The representatives of the 'Amici dei Bagni di Petriolo' association were the first to notice the anomalous coloration of the thermal waters of the Terme di Petriolo, in the Siena area, which "flowed black from the adduction plant, staining the tanks and dyeing the 'river water ".
...
The association hopes that the results of the analysis on the waters of the Terme di Petriolo, "do not highlight dangers to human health", and "that there is a way to monitor the situation by verifying that all the laws and precautions of the law have been adopted and for the protection of the environment ".

Slightly more info from Sienafree (Mar. 10).

tata_the_freedom_giver, somewhere on the coast of Languedoc (France):

Shower can be challenging when living in a van without one, so we become more open to alternatives.. Here is a nice one that we found on a hidden small beach in a lagoon.Maan, there should be hot springs everywhere!!!✌ 🛀🏊🐳🐠 #vanlifers#vanlife #showertime #projectvanlife#homeiswhereyouparkit #vans #traveling#hotsprings #borntobewild #nature #pool#naturalpool #roadtrip #dreamlife#livingthedream #lagoon #frenchreviera#french #טיולים #טבע #מקלחת #מעיין #צרפת

Eagles na Cestách (Nov. 3) visit France's Prats-Balaguer. Unfortunately the report is in Czech, though what I make up is that it was not too hot (28C). 

marina.b.m at Bains St Thomas / Prats Balaguer:

El secreto no es correr detrás de las mariposas .. es cuidar el jardín para que vengan ellas hacia ti#holidays #vacaciones #france #termes#nature #hot #natura #bosque#mountains#nieve #tattoo #tattoogirl #smalltattoo#mariposa #butterfly#butterflytattoo#espalda #blonde #blondehair #shorthair#francia #cascadas#piscinasnaturais

Later on in November they are at the Ourense hot springs (Galicia, Spain).

ulyana_hohlushka at Pyatigorsk (southern Russia):

Горячие источники в горах Пятигорска под чудным названием «Бесстыжие Ванны»😉 P.S.У каждого свои шалости🙈#бесстыжиеванны #пятигорск#горячиеисточники #модель #model #girl#itsabeautifullife #lifeisgood #iamhappy#mountains #moscow

A tough call

One of the reasons for maintaining this and associated blog is to broaden our knowledge of natural wellness opportunities and encourage their use. And hope that they remain publicy accessible without negative trashing the sites. 

More knowledge though may not always be a good thing. As with the increased information comes increased use. In many instances the freedom to use results in over-use and / or abuse. Clearly as a human species we have evolved, but not such that we can ourselves indicate when over-use and negatives of the over use kick in. And socially organize ourselves to keep public access and limit abuse. Hmmm.

But sometimes I also get it wrong.

Protection

High on my to-do list for years and years has been a visit to the mud baths of Espalmador. 

Espalmador is an island which lies close to the island of Formentera which (if still unknown) lies just southwest of the island of Ibiza, Spain. 

So it's all location, location here:
The southern most bay of Espalmador is reknown for it's brilliant white sands and clear blue waters. This in turn attracts a fair amount of sun / sea worshippers who wade the meter deep channel which separates Formentera from Espalmador. And this being all so close to the playground of the nouveau riche of Ibiza you'll find many a luxury yacht and their lesser cousin wannabees just lying idly in the bay of S'Alga (as the bay is officially called) itself.

The bay of S'Alga, Espalmador.

Espalmador is a privately owned island, which also falls somehow under the protection of the Ses Salines Natural Park, a safeguarded area covering the busy sea channel and islets between Ibiza and Formentera as well as the adjacent salt lakes of both islands. 
The Espalmador owners seemingly have little qualms about the above described daily invasion apparently, possibly relishing in the fact that outside this bay, the island remains largely deserted. Weighing out your options. 
It also seems difficult to dissuade the rich and famous from squatting on your door step ....

Making hey

The other actor in this play, is the island of Formentera. 

For decades Formentera was the destination of hippies and those seeking their holy grail: lying around on some of Europe's most beautiful and spectacular beaches. In boredom. 
Deliciously undeveloped, it was a haven for mostly cyclists who despite the camping ban were otherwise fine with staying in a local hut with the clear beaches never far away.

One of the hippy uses was the discovery of the use of natural mud on Espalmador. Having nothing else to do, they would consider a day of trekking out and wading accross to Espalmador to make use of it's mud bath as a day well spent. 

And to be honest it would have been. A couple hours on their way, an enjoyable slopping on of the mud followed by waiting for the mud to dry then washing it off and back to Formentera just on time for some tapas.

It would also be a great way for me to spend a day. 

With information slightly sketchy concerning the wading part, we decided to kayak ourselves there. 

That was a mistake. 

Leaving the small arrival port of La Savina on Formentera, one needs to cross the busy ferry channel with powerful catamarans servicing Formentera from Ibiza. Traversing this channel with a kayak is not a good way to do this; still nothing happened as most of our paddling happened during the siesta downtime, phew.

Coming closer to Espalmador, it's all attention to avoid a possible collision with the many luxury boats whiling away their day. 

We arrive on the south end, pretty busy as everybody there who has not come by boat has easily waded accross. So much for the unique experience!

The wading highway to Formentera.

While in the good old days, swimwear would have seemed to yet to be invented, nowadays a good pair of togs is essential: it's part of the culture to show you're in the upward mobile crowd yourself. That said, Formentera has not yet left it's hippy heyday totally behind it. So even though I'm one of the very few (un)dressed as a hippy, it's also very much acceptable. No batting an eyelid here.

Monstrous

A 15 minute walk along the bay, brings one to a major turn in the bay, as the sand beach itself ends. From here there's a sign board (see first photo) pointing towards the inland salt marsh. 

It's hot, hot hot, but 5 minutes later you are on the edge of the dry lake. The edge is delineated by a rope. 

Very near are the tempting tiny mud pools, possibly a dozen or so. No one is using them, but we had seen a couple before us return blackened, so they must have stepped beyond the rope. 
So should we. 

The mud is very luscious, black and reeks of sulphur. Good. 
The nearly dry pools are very salty. Good.
It only takes a minute or two to become a mud monster. Better.

 A mud monster in creation.

And so we return back to the seashore, looking hilariously weird to the other fashionista's. 
And though it might look tempting, there are precious few takers in the half hour as we slowly evolve from black to grey under the mid day sun. A rinse, a thorough wash and we can now walk and kayak the reverse path.

Permission
It's only a few days later when leaving Formentera I happen upon a brochure of said national park. It sternly states that it's not permitted:

'Bathing and use of the clay from S'Espalmador lagoon'.

So illegal. 
Surprisingly on official sites little is made of this, the park itself fails to list this nor does Formentera.es (the official tourism agency of Formentera) mention the forbidden nature of said mud bath.

In itself a good move, especially seeing how Formentera itself is becoming increasingly a destination for mass tourism.

But it's one thing to forbid, it's another to enforce this.
Certainly at the lagoon itself, other than a rope, there's little to indicate that it should not be done.

End of the trail?

One could also note that many a celebrity get away with taking a mud bath, Paris Hilton being one of the more recent celeb soakers muddying up (source).
Then there are still quite a few web sites which enthusiastically note the use of mud baths.
Natgeo (Oct 2014):

'Strip off on one of its white-sand beaches, wallow in the natural mud baths found in its centre, and pad about the tiny, uninhabited island of Espalmador, separated from Formentera by a sandbank'.

Firstchoice  (a website with a photo which is not of Espalmador):

'For a different sort of bathing – this time involving mud – regular ferries leave La Savina port, a 10-minute drive from Platja de Migjorn, to Espalmador. It’s a private island to the north, with pin-drop quiet beaches, no buildings, and no inhabitants. At its centre, there’s a natural mud bath where you can wallow like a blissed-out hippo. Let the mud dry before washing it off in the ocean. The kids will love it'.

SeeIbiza: 

'Sights & Attractions in Espalmador
One of the more popular reasons to visit the Island is the natural mud bath that can be found in the middle. On a wide salt plain you can spend your day wallowing in the cool mud pool, and then wash it off in the sea after! A great way to relax...although there are actually no known health benefits of the mud'.

Just to name a few.

As said official sources are rather inadequate. There is though of course the excellent formenteraguide:

'Some guide books suggest you can walk across the shallow waters that lap between Formentera and Espalmador, but this is extremely irresponsible advice. The name of the area between the two islands is Es Pas, which means the strait, and on a day when the waters are completely still and there is not a breeze in the air, then yes it is technically possible to walk across, but with even the slightest winds then it is a perilous journey.
...
Mud Baths
One of the delights on Espalmador is mud bathing. Right in the middle of this tranquil island is a natural mud bath that’s easy to find. Head along the far north end of Platja de s’Alga (s’Alga beach) and follow the narrow pathway through the scrubland that backs the beach. Finally you will emerge at a wide salt plain that has liquid mud at its centre. In years with light rainfall the sulphurous mud pond is dry across much of its four hectares.
Although it has no proven therapeutic benefits, on a hot sunny day there’s nothing nicer than wallowing in cooling mud! Let it dry as you walk back to the beach then dive into the clear sea to get clean. A great experience and the kids will love it!
A common sight is naturists emerging clothed in black mud, only to then wash it off in the ocean and appear naked once more. Unfortunately not all people treat the mud baths with respect – they throw mud at one another and the surrounding area. In the summer of 2009 this led to such significant damage that the baths were shut. With Espalmador a private island it is important to remember that access to it is a privilege, and the baths should be bathed in, not played in'.

Wikitravel is less clear:

'Espalmador also has the famous mud baths, however as of July 2010, visitors are greeted by two female guards who stopped everybody and instructed to only look, but not touch or try, because it belongs to a highly protected nature reserve'.

ibizaspotlight note the following:

'It's a dream for ornithologists, but please take note ladies and gents, mud-bathing is not permitted'.

Possibly it's more of a dream for birding in spring / autumn and/or winter, but not in summer when the lagoon simply has insufficient water to sustain any significant bird life.

According to this Dutch publication bathing in mud was forbidden since 2005 when estimates noted that 300 persons a day used the mud. 
The dairiodemallorca (19 Aug. 2012) experiences how the enforcement of these regulations are null and void. In the article it blames the tourism industry and the ineffective policing by local authorities.

The dairio de ibiza (14 Sep. 2014) notes how the owners are compelling authorities to take action beyond the simple rope. They also denounce many a tourist site which promotes the mud bathing. They mention that even though it's not allowed, up to 300 visitors still make use of the mud baths. 

Oddly they also repeat the often used counter-argument that there's no significant wellness benefit that has been scientifically proven. 

That doesn't have to mean that there's none. Speaking for myself, taking a mud bath is in itself a very pleasurable experience.

Blackened and all hanging out to dry ...

And thus we have the quandary: the use of mud pools in themselves are not a bad thing, but the whole scale en mass slopping oneself in mud does. So cut off the source? Is this the price for development? 

Surprisingly tripadvisor is yet to reach here. Odd.

There are a couple of Youtube vdo's of the experience, here is one.

At least if you want to repeat the experience, you now know it's a no-no. Unless you're one of the many not reading this blog ...