Wild swimming has become increasingly popular in recent years and is a must for people who want to improve their mental health. Swimming has always been recommended by mental healthcare professionals. UKAT London, a mental health clinic centred in London, often gives patients exercise routines that involve swimming, as it’s suited to people of all fitness levels and all ages. Wild swimming takes it further, providing a unique way to experience the water and connect with nature. So, if you like swimming or want to manage your mental health more efficiently, here are five top reasons to try wild swimming.
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Connect with Nature: Embrace the Great Outdoors
As we’ve briefly mentioned, wild swimming provides you the chance to connect more with nature. Unlike an indoor pool, wild swimming allows you to really immerse yourself in the natural world and surround yourself with some pretty incredible landscapes.
There are many unique wild swimming spots in the UK, from Snowdonia to the Isle of Skye and even near London, where a one-hour drive north will take you to the alluring sights of Grantchester Meadows in Cambridge. There’s something to suit everyone.
The sights and sounds of being at one with nature, though, can further create a sense of peace and tranquility and help significantly reduce stress and anxiety.
Improve Physical Fitness: A Full-Body Workout
Wild swimming, as is indoor swimming, is a great way to improve your fitness. It’s a full-body workout that utilizes various muscle groups, and the resistance of the water is a good form of strength training.
Swimming in natural waters requires more effort than swimming in pools, as you have more factors to contend with, including water temperature, waves, and currents. This can further aid cardiovascular fitness and increase stamina and strength.
The chilly water often associated with wild swimming can also help with muscle soreness and recovery and reduce inflammation and body pain. Cold water swimming can also boost your immune system, improve circulation, boost metabolism, and help your body respond better to stress.
Boost Mental Health: A Natural Mood Enhancer
As we’ve covered, the mental health impact wild swimming can have is unbelievable. The cold water immersion will trigger endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good chemicals, and combined with the natural surroundings’ fresh air and beauty, you can help combat mental fatigue and burnout. Furthermore, the colors of the beautiful landscape
Many wild swimmers feel a real sense of euphoria after a swim, making it the perfect pre-work or post-work activity to reset your mind and escape from the stresses of daily life. It’s an enriching process for many. Blue spaces involve embodiment, mindful presence, community, and much more, offering some therapeutic accretion that sustains mental health and well-being across a lifetime.
Foster a Sense of Community: Join a Growing Movement
Like many sports and forms of exercise, wild swimming doesn’t have to be a solo activity. In fact, we’d actively encourage you to start by joining a group. There are so many wild swimming groups across the UK that bring like-minded people with similar traits together, almost operating as a mini support group.
It’s a brilliant way to meet new people, and the camaraderie that comes from taking on the cold water together can really help create life-long bonds, friendships, and memories.
Discover Hidden Gems: Explore New Places
Wild swimming encourages exploration and adventure, leading you to discover hidden gems you might not otherwise have encountered. Whether you’re exploring secluded riverbanks, remote lakes, or rugged coastlines, wild swimming can take you to some of the country’s most beautiful and unspoiled locations.
Each swim can become a mini-adventure, offering a new perspective on the natural world and the opportunity to experience the landscape in a unique way. From the clear waters of a mountain tarn to the crashing waves of a coastal bay, wild swimming allows you to explore the UK’s natural beauty from a whole new angle.
Some Of The Best Open Water Swimming Spots In The UK
Blue Lagoon, Pembrokeshire, Wales
Craggy cliffs and rugged beaches surround a lagoon the colour of turquoise and emerald. Adrenaline seekers take running leaps from jagged rocks; tamer swimmers simply paddle, enjoying the beautiful scenery.
River Ouse, Sussex
Meandering through Yorkshire is the mighty Ouse, where grassy banks and neighbouring meadows make for an inviting swim and a wonderful picnic spot. Please bring a packed lunch and watch as some swimmers paddle their way (sometimes by boat) up a two-mile stretch of crystal-clear waters.
St Nectan’s Kieve, Cornwall
Often described as a heavenly spot for its untouched backdrop, it also has prayer flags and a shrine room. A place to connect with the hierarchy, nature, or both, take a plunge in the ‘Kieve,’ which in Irish history translates to a ‘mythical and powerful place.’ It is certainly a place to check out.
