ReWild Swim Club, Gloucestershire

Nestled in rewilding land, tucked into the meandering course of the River Severn, is a hidden space where you will find a natural pond, sauna and small community of swimmers. Ella Foote discovers a hidden gem in Gloucestershire.

About 10 minutes from Junction 12 on the M5 motorway in Gloucestershire there is a magical piece of water hidden on land set aside for rewilding. Madam’s Pool, a spring fed pond, was once used to irrigate ancient orchards that were planted along the banks of the River Severn but now it offers a retreat for swimmers nearby and afar.

Founder Sarah Whewell grew up swimming outdoors on her family estate in Wyresdale Park, Lancashire. At Elmore where Sarah now lives with her family, she discovered Madam’s Pool and continued her love of outdoor dips. “I have been outdoor swimming my entire life,” she says. “For years I would slide down the muddy bank of the pond on my bum and dip solo. Then a friend of mine got really into winter swimming, so we would swim together.”

When the pandemic came around it became a necessity and, when allowed, the only social interaction Sarah had was at the pond. “A group of us began to gather every Friday,” says Sarah. “There was nothing else here, we would stand or sit around two metres apart and dip, it became our lifeline.”

Over time more and more people started to join, friends of friends, and it was at this point Sarah decided to train as an open water coach.

“I had unofficially become someone who was leading people into the water and I thought I should do some training to support others.”

Today the ReWild Swim Club is well established and visited by swimmers all over the country. There is a woodfired sauna, changing tent heated by a wood burner and ladders to get in and out of the water. It has become so popular that swim and sauna slots sell fast. When I was visiting, some swimmers had been on the road for over an hour for their session.

On the day I visited we had sunshine and the water was warmer than the air temperature. As Sarah and I chat, fish nip the surface and another swimmer spots a kingfisher.

“I had no real plan for the pond,” says Sarah. “I am a bit amused by the popularity. I had friends with big social media profiles, so a lot is down to them.”

The pond sits on the Elmore estate, which is family-owned and has been for 850 years. Sarah and her husband live in the farmhouse. The estate is part of a 250-acre rewilding project, where nature is being allowed to flourish and take the land back to a wild state. This means there are no field boundaries, which means animals can roam freely and with no crops there are no fertilisers, pesticides or chemicals. It means that biodiversity will return to the land and enable plants, fungi, birds, small mammals and everything else to thrive. As well as a spring-fed pond, a wilder landscape enables brilliant water quality at the pond and an abundance of wildlife.

“It is the perfect size,” says Sarah. “It isn’t very intimidating like some places that offer outdoor swimming. The sauna is an added benefit. I wanted something in winter that would allow for more than a quick dip, winter swimming is so short!”

After booking you are given details of to find the pond. A short drive down a dirt track and a yurt can be seen tucked into the land. Here is where you can change and leave clothes in the dry and warm before you tiptoe over a wooden bridge and down tree stumps to the lake.

The sauna is Danish, hand-crafted by Scandinavian Sauna, with mirrored glass for privacy but an incredible view of the water.

The pond is big enough to get some decent swimming done, if that is what you are after. But the vibe is definitely more a wild reflective swim spot. Slipping between the pond and the sauna is a brilliant way to tackle the cooler weather too. There are regular weekly sessions that are £18 for 1.5-hour swim and sauna, you can hire for exclusive use or join a wellness experience. “As the seasons change, so does the light so we offer evenings and other sessions,” says Sarah. “Our regulars find it hard as the days shorten as evening sessions are really popular.”

No matter the season, this place has something special to offer.

Find out more at rewildswimclub.com

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