Take a swim on the wild side
g and Katy Scott in February
Jud Pollock, Maite Allwood, Katy Scott, Colin Greig, Donna McGuire and Susan Sandison
Outdoor and open water swimming has seen a resurgence in popularity in recent years.
And with several locations in and around Blairgowrie providing local residents with the opportunity to try it for themselves, a number of groups have formed to bring enthusiasts of the pastime together.
Local photographer and videographer Kelly McIntyre – a keen wild swimmer herself – is a long-term advocate of the benefits of the activity and has recently been documenting some of those who enjoy it.
She explained: “I’ve always loved swimming in the local lochs and rivers since I was a child.
“Living next to Marlee Loch for the past 10 years has given me every reason to jump in on hot sunny days after work.
“I was always a seasonal swimmer until last year, though.
“Then through a chance conversation with an outdoor swimming enthusiast at a Clunie Village Hall event I was invited to join the Monday Night Awesome Swims WhatsApp group, made up of folk from Perth, Dunkeld and everywhere in between.
“I then joined the Clunie Loch Wild Swimmers and absolutely loved the community of like-minded souls.
“Through connecting with Jud Pollock at my work at Nest Creative Spaces our own wee group came together.
“Initially it was Ladies of the Loch but when local artist and musician Colin Greig joined it was more inclusively named the Wild Doukers.”
Wild swimming is known to have several physical and mental health benefits.
Cold water immersion soothes muscle aches, relieves depression and boosts the immune system.
And, before restrictions imposed as part of efforts to tackle the global coronovirus pandemic affected the group meetups, the social aspects of wild swimming were also important.
Kelly said: “I’ve met, made connections and even greater friends through our mutual love of swimming in the most beautiful, albeit cold, lochs of Perthshire.
“We generally meet at weekends and have built up a great camaraderie as we traversed the seasons together – swimming in spring, summer, autumn and winter!
“Our winter swim adventures are mostly in Marlee and Clunie lochs but our missions have taken us up to Loch Ordie with a dip in the lochs on the way.
“We’ve shared our first swim challenges together – breaking the ice, in howling gales, the snow, at sunset and sunrise.
“It’s something that bonds us together.”
She went on: “For me the love of it is feeling so small but so much more connected to the wildlife and environment around me.
“There’s something special about swimming when a flock of geese swoop into land, a kingfisher dots past, ospreys dive for fish, and a mother duck with her inquisitive ducklings pass you by.
“There is a sense of freedom physically and mentally, a release when you immerse yourself into the cold water and you have to catch your breath - you’re in the moment and nothing else matters.
“You forget about day to day worries.
“It’s not about how long, how far, what others are doing, what other people think, it’s just about being, in your mind, your body and spirit.
“It’s definitely helped my mental health and wellbeing through relieving stress and finding exercise that I enjoy and meeting new people.”
Kelly said the group welcomes people who have always wanted to try it but didn’t know where to start.
“Those who have joined us have all loved it and will be back to join us.
“There is a huge wild swimming community, and once the coronavirus lockdown is over I am looking forward to visiting other parts of Scotland and the UK as I already feel a bond with folk there,” she said.
And, as an added benefit, Kelly said that wild swimming has boosted her creativity, inspiring her to take a series of photographs and make a short film about the activity.
Anyone interested in seeing more of Kelly’s work or giving outdoor swimming a go can get in touch with Kelly through her Instagram page ‘mc_digital_hillbilly’ or by going to https://vimeo. com/kellymcintyre to view her Wild Doukers’ video.
• Pictures: Kelly McIntyre Photography.