TAKE THE PLUNGE

Ready to give cold water swimming a go? Anna Hart shares her guide to getting started

What gear do I need?

I wear a Neon Andras Spring Suit (neonwetsuits.com), which sees me swimming ‘skins’ (that is, wetsuit-free) until Christmas. Post-swim, I wrap up in a Dryrobe outdoor robe (dryrobe.com).

Can I swim in a wetsuit and still get the benefits?

Absolutely. Michael Morris of Chill Sessions suggests taking your wetsuit off in the water at the very end, for full-skin immersion. ‘This way, you can swim in the water for longer, but also reap the benefits of full skin contact,’ he says.

Is swimming in the sea better than a lake?

According to Morris, some research is currently being done into the effects of sea swimming over lake swimming, but currently there’s no indication that one is better than the other.

Can you get too cold?

When you swim, your body shuts down circulation to your skin, pooling warm blood in your core. When you get out, blood starts to recirculate to your extremities, and your core temperature can plummet by 4.5°C, which could lead to hypothermia, so getting dry should be your number one priority.

How do I find my local outdoor swimming group?

Start with The Outdoor Swimming Society (outdoorswimmingsociety.com).