the wonder of wild swimming
We’ve heard it all before. An ice water plunge or cold bath is now not as profoundly uncommon as it once was. One look at the words of romantic poets (think Coleridge, Byron and Deakin) and you'll be headed out for a swim. But this is not just any old swim; it’s a wild swim. Where you don’t have that musty smell of chlorine or need to abide by lanes and swimming rules, but where you can jump in, make a splash and totally relax.
Embracing that wilder side is admittedly easier when it’s off the beaten track. Growing up in the English countryside, I took for granted the ease with which you can stumble across a waterfall or lake, where you can quickly strip down and take the plunge. When the water is too shallow, the lengths this healthy addiction can make you go to uncover how much your love, and tolerance, for the sport can grow. There are times, especially in the summer, when the stream is just a little too low and you practically have to skim the surface to enjoy your daily dip.
But if you live by the coast, there is no excuse! For is there anything better than waking up and taking a dip in the salty seawater? Living in Fife, I took swim spots like Pittenweem Tidal Pool for granted. A retreat to Ardnamurchan and a trip to Sanna Bay on the most western part of the Scottish peninsula would be an escape from the more ‘cultivated’ tidal pool dips. This is where you could truly embrace nature and your wilder side.
These days, ‘city swimming’ is having its moment. Though not all of us can—or want to—live in the rugged hills and rural landscapes of the countryside, there are plenty of us who want to take a plunge.
Enter: the city swim. Though they might not offer the most leisurely of swims, they’re all sure to get that adrenaline pumping, put a smile on your face and make you feel truly alive. As Keats famously said, "The point of diving in a lake is not immediately to swim to the shore; it’s to be in the lake, to luxuriate in the sensation of water." These city swim spots will let you do just that.
First things first, let's start at the gloobles home base. Probably Amsterdam's most iconic feature is its canals: with over 165 grachten stretching over 100 kilometres, it’s coined ‘Venice of the North’.
A few eyebrows may raise, however, when you suggest jumping into the relatively murky waters. I, and quite a few fellow Amsterdammers, beg to differ. With the city designating more and more safe swimming spots—Buitenzwembad Marineterrein, Admiralengracht at Erasmus Park and Sloterplas to name but a few—you’re sure to find a place where you can dip, swim, relax, whatever you may.
Though, nothing quite rivals a dip at Beeldenbos Noord in the harbour of Nieuwendam. There are no ladders. It's either a brave and bold walk and dive from the shoreline or a jump from the mooring dock come summer. With views of the gardens, quirky houses along the Nieuwendammerdijk and rows of sailing boats along the Jachthaven Het Jacht, it’s absolutely glorious. It’s all too tempting to swim over to Café ’t Sluisje! If swimming seems a touch on the ambitious side, take your dip and hop on your bike to this cosy brown café for a biertje and bitterballen. The perfect post-dip pick-me-up.
It’s my sister that gave me the incentive. With wise words, she once said, "You may dread it, but you never regret it." Never was this truer than when I moved to Stockholm and began swimming in February.
The Nordic winters can be cold, almost brutally so. When the temperatures are not far from zero and snow is still very much on the ground, the idea of a city swim is probably not in many people’s minds. However, after a quick hunt online, you will see numerous communities taking this rather extreme dip, if not daily, at least weekly. There are many spots to explore; when winter comes you have to find water where the ice is partly broken already. Minneberg bruges is always a safe bet.
For the ultimate city dip? Tanto strandbad has terrific vibes in summer and easy access into the water. Use the ladders to slowly slide into the cold waters. Brave adventurers can jump off the tower (albeit perhaps not when the waters are a frosty 2° or so). Join the flocks of Stockholmers basking in the sun on the summer days before walking along to Rackarbacken Terrass for a drink with views across the Årstaviken.
A sauna swim is one way of making the plunge a little less extreme, and they're common across most, if not all, Scandi cities. Head to Hellasgården in Stockholm, Lonna in Helsinki or the Sørenga Seawater Pool in Oslo. Whilst in Switzerland, take a trip to the Frauenbad at Stadthausquai. This female-only spot is only open during the warmer months. The waters are cold, but there'll be no picking ice and plunging into the subpar temperatures of Stockholm’s lakes and seas.
When the waters are cold, the Wim Hof Method of slow, controlled breathing is the way to go. Put this to the test at the Hampstead Heath Bathing Ponds in London. The Ladies’ and Men’s ponds are open and lifeguarded year round, so you can bet that even when the weather outside is slightly baltic, it's safe and somewhat controlled to take the plunge. Surrounded by the glorious parks and greenery of the Heath, it’s hard to gauge that the city of London is a mere 15-minute tube ride away.
When you get in the routine, when the water at 14° no longer feels cold, when you find yourself packing a swimsuit in your bag no matter where you’re going or what you’re doing, you know wild swimming has taken over. It’s a sport that can be truly exciting. Thrilling, even. And though exploring and stumbling across those hidden spots in nature may be more adventurous, there is truly something quite remarkable about finishing your day off in a bustling, vibrant city, stepping off the subway, walking a few metres, stripping down into your bathing suit and dropping into the ice-cold water. Give it a go, and with my sister’s advice in heed, dip your head under if you dare!
Hannah Rees-Middleton
Wild swimming. Natural wine. Excellent exhibitions. And glorious country walks. These are a few of our editor Hannah Rees-Middleton’s favourite things. Whether she’s bouncing around Mexico, paddling through the Kenwood Ladies’ Pond or ogling another mound of butter at a fabulous supper club, Hannah is always in the midst of something cool. A consummate planner, a lover of beautiful things, a traveller never without a camera and a deck of cards. Hannah is many things (including the perfect resource for perfect travel tips).
