WILD SWIMMING

WORDS BY BETHANY ALLEN, PHOTOGRAPHY BY MAX CAMPBELL

WE ARE INCREDIBLY LUCKY TO LIVE IN A COUNTY WITH SOME OF THE BEST SWIMMING LOCATIONS AND THE CLEANEST WATER IN THE UK, MAKING IT THE PERFECT PLACE TO PARTICIPATE IN WILD SWIMMING.

he Wild Swimming Cornwall community was co-founded in May 2020 by three friends, Lydia Paleschi, Max Campbell and Bethany Allen. They share a mutual passion for the ocean and a desire to broadcast the benefits of swimming in cold water to more people.

Each of the co-founders has personally experienced the mental and physical benefits of going swimming in cold water regularly, and they hope that the book will enable more people to access these benefits. Lydia tells us: “It’s all about finding community, self care and an affinity with nature through cold water.” These are the core aspects of wild swimming that they believe will have the power to improve people’s quality of life.

Many of us have hobbies that we do to promote the production of dopamine and stay healthy such as running, cycling, walking or going to the gym. Wild swimming stands out because you don’t need any equipment other than a swimming costume or trunks and a towel. This makes it accessible to anyone who has the ability to swim, no matter how young or old you are. It is also advisable to always swim with at least one other person, which enables us to nurture relationships with others. If there’s anything that the pandemic has taught us, it’s how valuable participating in activities outdoors can be. Especially when we can do so together. With this in mind, the Wild Swimming Cornwall team have created a map on their website (www.wildswimmingcornwall.co.uk) listing all the swimming groups in Cornwall that they know of.

When we show up at the water’s edge, no matter what kind of day we’re having, it will always be eradicated by the adrenaline and excitement of swimming in cold water. Making an effort to go swimming with others is an act of self care. It is deciding to take the time to invest in our wellbeing and challenge ourselves in a unique way.

Swimming in open water whether it’s a lake, river, quarry, tidal pool or the ocean also enables us to build a greater affinity with nature. We can watch cormorants dive beneath the ocean’s surface as we do and explore ecosystems that nourish our instinctual desire to be surrounded by nature. Max elaborates: “We hope that as more people head outdoors to swim, they will develop a greater affinity with nature and a greater drive to protect it. If more people are accessing the benefits that nature helps to provide us, both mentally and physically, then hopefully it will encourage them to take action to protect these spaces for future generations. A big part of the project for us is to promote the importance of reducing our impact on the environment. Whether it’s making the decision to cut down on single use plastics, or supporting other projects like Surfers Against Sewage – we hope that reading our book and going swimming will enable more people to connect what they do in their daily lives with how that’s going to impact the environment that surrounds and looks after us.”

The founders spent the entire summer last year creating, co-authoring and self-publishing A Guide to Wild Swimming in Cornwall. The guidebook features over 50 swimming locations with detailed information on how to conduct a cold water swim safely.

To discover more about Wild Swimming Cornwall, for safety advice on swimming outdoors and to read a full list of the many benefits that swimming in cold water has – head to www.wildswimmingcornwall.co.uk Or follow them on social media @wildswimmingcornwall