November 2025 ‘Wild Winter’
Outdoor Swimmer Extra: Get the best of Outdoor Swimmer magazine online.
What once felt like the season of retreat has become a season of gathering. Across the UK, more lidos and lakes are staying open than ever before. Swimmers arrive in woolly hats and change-robes, sharing flasks of tea and the kind of smiles that only come from cold water. There’s something beautifully simple about it: no fuss, no frills, just you, the elements and a community that gets it.
There’s a stillness that comes with winter swimming. The air feels sharper, the light lower, and the world quieter. The first touch of cold on skin catches your breath, a strong reminder of how alive you are. Each year, I forget just how powerful that first proper winter dip can be. This issue is a celebration of that power and the wonder that winter brings.
This month we’re diving headfirst into all things Wild Winter. We’ve explored the science behind cold-water swimming and why it makes us feel so good, got top tips on how to safely enter and even compete in ice swimming events, and we’re heading off to Estonia for a proper frozen adventure. Our training pages are full of advice for keeping fit and motivated through the darker months, and our Gear Editor Jo Tinsley has been busy finding the best neoprene accessories to help you stay cosy(ish) in the chill.
And because winter also brings with it the season of giving, we’ve put together a special Christmas Gift Guide, full of ideas for the swimmers in your life (and a few for yourself). From thoughtful presents to practical kit, plus wrapping inspiration and sustainable gifting tips, it’s our way of helping you share the joy of swimming beyond the water.
So, whether you’re dipping for the first time this season, training for an ice mile, or just love reading about other people doing it so you don’t have to – welcome to winter with Outdoor Swimmer. See you out there, hat on, steam rising, grin wide.
Enjoy the issue!
Ella Foote, Editor
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- Best neoprene accessories for open water swimmers
Swim socks, fleece-lined caps and baselayers: as temperatures drop, we review some of the best neoprene accessories (and natural rubber alternatives) for keeping you warm while you swim this winter. - Does my age affect how I acclimatise to cold water?
Dr Hussain Al-Zubaidi answers this reader question about cold-water swimming - Winter is a restorative time for our rivers
The drop in temperature means more than cosy jumpers and hot drinks; it plays a vital role in restoring balance to our rivers and the ecosystems that depend on them, says The Rivers Trust - Vindication and value
Mercedes Gleitze’s famous Rolex Oyster heads to the auction block - Open water testing strips
SwimSense from Sundfœrr is the first quick-response water testing strip designed specifically for wild swimmers – giving results in seconds, not days. We spoke to founder Anita Richardson about this new innovation - From first dip to ice mile
Finding your ‘why’ in winter waters, by psychologist Lexi Tinkler - Shoulders fit for swimming
Efficient swimmers need strong, mobile shoulders, says personal instructor Liz Lowe - Gritty Rascals Swimrun Coniston
For his first swimrun in seven years, Jonathan Cowie took on a 47+km race in the Lake District - Sophie Etheridge’s UltraSwim
What happens when you have an event team that is made up of swimmers, endurance athletes and coaches alongside a group of swimmers with goals that are determined to succeed whilst being supported by their friends and family? Answer: UltraSwim33.3. Sophie Etheridge reports - Why should you swim long distances?
Exploring your motives for swimming longer distances will help you make more of the experience, says Simon Griffiths - How to layer up after a cold swim
With numb fingers, damp skin and scant shelter, it can be hard to get dressed and warm after a cold water dip. Understanding the benefits of layers and the right materials can make all the difference - Swim your own swim this winter
When it comes to winter swimming, remember ‘you do you’, advises editor Ella Foote - Build your aerobic fitness over winter
Cardio training in winter could see you return to open water stronger, more efficient and better conditioned for swimming, says fitness instructor Vivienne Rickman - Sub10 Club has started!
As the water cools and the mornings turn crisp, it’s time to gear up for another exhilarating winter swim season with Nowca’s Sub10 Club - Plunge into ice swimming competition
Ice swimming is no longer a niche pursuit reserved for polar adventurers. Across the UK, swimmers are bridging the gap between casual winter dips and official ice-swimming competition - Meet Libby Delana, author of Cold Joy
Libby DeLana illuminates the many physical, mental, and spiritual benefits of cold water in her new book, Cold Joy - Refuge in the cold
Filmmaker Judy Irving tells Rowan Clarke how cold water provides refuge from life’s biggest challenges - Beyond the chill
Rowan Clarke takes a deep dive into the little-known facts about wild winter swimming - Fast, exhilarating and a little scary: a winter swoosh
Simon Griffiths explores how winter puts the wild into river swimming
