Taking the plunge
Stephanie Colderick went cold water swimming for the first time at Lisvane and Llanishen reservoir and felt something she wasn’t expecting
IDON’T really like swimming. I really don’t like cold water. So you might be wondering why, dressed in just a swimming costume, a rash vest, and a bobble hat, I plunged myself into the Lisvane and Llanishen reservoir to try cold water dipping for the first time.
It was a question I was asking myself as I stood on the banks of the reservoir looking into the grey waters, knowing full well the water temperature was a mere 9°C.
Having never done cold water dipping before (I can just about hack the British sea in September let alone a reservoir in March) I won’t lie, I was doubtful about the experience.
Cold water swimming and dipping has shot up in popularity in recent years and many times I’ve heard people reeling off the health benefits and talking about that “rush” and “buzz” you get after doing it.
I had always had my doubts, firmly believing that being in cold water would just make me miserable and cold.
How wrong I was.
The buzz is real and while I can’t claim that being in the water was pleasant (it was so cold it hurt) you do get a real buzz and rush afterwards.
I lasted about three minutes in the water, which might not seem like a lot, but with the water temperature at nine degrees the maximum we could stay in was for nine minutes (one minute per degree) and it was much longer than I thought I would manage.
After getting over the initial shock, which did hit and leave me breathless, my heart rate returned to a slower, calmer pace.
It was freezing cold, I could feel the water hitting every single part of my body, but not horrendous.
I thought I’d have one toe in and then end up running for the hills, but I actually felt like I could have lasted maybe a minute longer.
But with it being my first time I didn’t want to push myself too far, even getting in the water was enough.
The buzz and adrenaline afterwards, though, is unmatched. I felt proud I had even managed to go in at all, as well as refreshed and rejuvenated.
I felt like I had connected to nature, really connecting with the rest of the world as I shakily ducked my shoulders under the water and totally forgot about any other worries.
And it felt much more refreshing than just a normal shower. That was one of the best parts about doing the dip at Lisvane and Llanishen Reservoirs.
To be able to do the dip, and for anyone wanting to join their new cold water dipping sessions, you have to do a two-hour induction course running through the risks and practicalities of cold water swimming and the information was very useful.
You do the course as a group and then enter the water as a group with qualified instructors and lifeguards with you the whole time, which was reassuring.
Going in with people definitely helps as you chat with them as you do it, helping you ever so slightly take your mind off your freezing surroundings.
Now I have done the course we don’t need to do it again and can book onto any other water dipping sessions at the reservoir.
While I will not personally be rushing back to the cold water I do now totally understand why people do it and if the opportunity ever came up again I would not necessarily say a flat no.
If you are interested in this I would definitely give it a try – it is 100% worth it.
Now, someone pass me a hot chocolate, a blanket, and a roaring fire!
If you want to book onto a course, and then book onto further dips, you can visit the website at https://lisvane-llanishen.com/cold-water-dipping