When I first set out to do this challenge, I had absolutely no idea just how much I needed it. The concept was simple, go for a cold water dip every day in October. This could be anywhere… the sea, a river, a cold bath. I aimed to get outside for every one of my dips, and somehow succeeded.
The Fun: Puddles of the Moors
I was pretty excited when I first started this challenge and had all these hopes of finding some beautiful, hidden pools on the moors by my parents house. On the 1st October, I took myself off on a hunt and had the time of my life following steams and settling on the tiniest little pool. I was not going to be doing any swimming, but I was giggling away to myself the whole time and still (just about) managed to submerge myself. My picture from day 1, of me sat in a peaty stream on the moor, quickly rose to being one of my most liked photos ever.
This silly morning set me off on the right path, reminding me of the joys of the little things in life. Adventures don’t have to be big, every dip doesn’t have to be a magnificent waterfall. It’s just about making the effort to get out there in the first place, and enjoying yourself along the way.
Locations
After finding that the moors weren’t quite as abundant in delightful swimming spots as I had hoped, I realised that I may need to go slightly further afield for my dips and do a bit more research. Thankfully the Yorkshire Dales aren’t too far away and they are filled with some pretty stunning river spots and waterfalls. I also had several trips to the Lakes planned throughout October, which definitely helped with finding locations.
After some quick googling and searching through Instagram, I managed to compile a pretty long list of places to checkout throughout the month. Where possible, I tried to tie my dips in with my plans and find a spot near to where I was going. On the days when I wasn’t able to get out, or didn’t have the energy, I had been informed of a few cleaner river spots not too far away (the river Wharfe by my house is just down from a sewage outlet and is therefore, annoyingly, not very suitable for dipping!).
Some of the places I visited are lesser-known spots and waterfalls and therefore I won’t be giving out exact locations for all my October dips. However, some of the more well known spots included:
- Moor Puddle #1 – Ilkley Moor
- The River Wharfe – Ilkley/ Addingham (above the sewage outlet)
- Bronte Waterfall – Haworth (Not deep enough, had a to lay down, but still very pretty)
- Devils Bridge – Kirkby Lonsdale
- Gaddings Dam – Todmorden
- White Wells – Ilkley
- Windermere – Lake District
- Janet’s Foss – Malham
- Wain Wath Force – Keld
- Coniston – Lake District
The Community
As confident as I now feel dipping on my own, this challenge has also given me the opportunity to meet so many new people. The outdoors and wild swimming community is a pretty incredible one. I joined a few group dips throughout October, including a World Mental Health Day dip organised by the Peach Queen Company and the October dip for my local Mental Health Swims group. Both of these introduced me to so many new people, several of which I have been out dipping with again over the month.
Not only have my dips had an impact on me, but I have also had messages from people to say that me getting out has inspired them to go for their first dip, or to start getting out more. My passions and experiences having a positive knock on effect to others, is such an incredible feeling. Moving forward, I really want to invest more time in helping others to get out and experience the power of the outdoors, especially the cold water.
The Timing
Not only has the timing of this challenge made it a lot easier for me to complete, but it also came along when I most needed it. Having not been working throughout October, my days have pretty much revolved around where I’ve been going to go for a dip. I am so grateful to have been able to spend my time in this way, but it has also been an absolute blessing.
This challenge has given me a focus over the last month, over a time which has been rather rocky for me emotionally. Looking and applying for jobs it tough. The majority of things I apply for, I don’t hear back from at all, and week after week of this becomes pretty disheartening. But even on the days when I’ve struggled the most, I’ve got myself out for a swim at the very minimum and instantly felt better for it.
The Benefits
I have gained so much from the last month, both mentally and physically.
There is a huge amount of research out there around the benefits of cold water, but for me personally, I have found a shift in the way I deal with my stress and anxieties. Since submerging myself in cold water, I find it a lot easier to remain calm and keep a clear head. When I am feeling stressed or overwhelmed, the best way for me to release these feelings is to get out in the water. I have also always suffered terribly with colds, I used to be one of those people who would constantly be blowing my nose and need a tissue on hand at all times. There is evidence out there linking cold water dipping and an increased immune system, and though there may be other factors at work, I have noticed recently that me having a cold is now a very rare occurrence!
On top of all of these factors, being in cold water just brings me pure joy and calm. I am so proud of myself for sticking with this and making the time to get out everyday. I don’t think I’ve ever actually completed a challenge like this before.
Thank you so much to Seashell for sharing this challenge. Not only do they produce my all time favourite dipping essentials, they have created such a strong community. This post is not sponsored, I am just so grateful to be able to work with brands that are so passionate and do so much to help and support people.
For anyone who has been thinking about getting into cold water dipping, I would highly recommend giving it a try. You can check out my post on cold water swimming in winter here. Starting in winter can seem pretty daunting though, so you can always wait until the warmer weather hits to get out for your first dip!
Happy Adventuring x
Lisa Outdoors 
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