Out of the Valley
Out of the Valley
It started with a single cabin, built in a deep wooded valley by the river Teign, on the edge of Dartmoor in England. Driven by a desire to embrace off-grid living in close connection with nature.
Rupert constructed the cabin as a home for himself, where he could embrace a simpler way of living. Word soon spread, and others were interested in similar sanctuaries for themselves. And so Out of the Valley was born.
Out of the Valley worked on their first sauna soon after, built on the waters edge in Cornwall – it started a fascination in sauna culture and the health benefits it could bring.
Both our founders have spent time exploring various traditions who use heat for healing, from sweat lodges in Mexico to spas in Finland. It illustrated the powerful benefits of thermal stress on the body.
“We’re on a mission to elevate the world of outdoor wellness”.
Comprising architects, designers and craftspeople, the Out of the Valleys team are experts in timber construction and have a wealth of knowledge in biophilic design – that is, the design of structures that invite their inhabitants to connect with the surrounding natural landscape.
Ru spent much of his childhood playing with wood shavings and offcuts in his parents’ workshop in the Gloucestershire countryside. It was this love of the material that led him to study sustainable design in Falmouth and then classical boat building in Dorset, where he learned centuries-old woodcraft techniques from the masters. After four years spent working for design houses and furniture workshops in London, Ru relocated to Devon in 2015, where he built his first cabin. He founded Out of the Valley in 2016.
Chris is a Sales and Commercial Real Estate leader with a love for wild places & wellness. After finishing university in Bristol, Chris emigrated to Australia in 2010 working initially for JLL in commercial leasing. In 2017 he transitioned across to WeWork as Head of Sales and Partnerships for Australia and Asia Pacific, helping them launch 21 new locations. After relocating back to the UK in early 2022, Chris undertook a global wellness research tour visiting some 100+ sauna destinations. From Japanese onsens to floating saunas in Tasmania, he joined Out of the Valley in 2024.
Out of the Valley have raised the bar in the market for bespoke saunas. See them more as pieces of furniture, beautifully detailed and exquisitely built, with materials and finishes designed for a lifetimeNiall Maxwell, RIBA House of the Year