November 2026 ‘Cold Water Mastery’
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If you are new to winter swimming or coldwater curious, you might be wondering how to even begin to dip into a world of frost, snow and ice. Realistically, though, especially in the UK, winter swimming is often just cold and damp. Yes, the water is cold, but it rarely looks like our cover photo, and if that is what you are seeking, travelling to our Nordic neighbours might be your best plan. If you want to keep swimming or dipping outside as the clocks fall back and the weather changes, you will need to think about tackling the cold. This issue explores it all, from extreme cold to cold-water plunges in a tub.
One of the most common questions I get from beginners is “how long should I stay in for?” People often want a prescription for winter swims: wear this, measure that, stay in for this long… but it really isn’t that simple. There are so many variables when it comes to swimming outdoors, whatever the season, and winter swimming is even more ambiguous. Even if you have always enjoyed the water year-round, our climate and conditions are ever changing, so we need to keep learning and adapting. Add your changing body, both physically and mentally, to the mix and there are new layers to consider.
Sitting in a bathtub of cold water with ice cubes and a sauna nearby is very different from swimming distance in open water at 10ºC or less. I encourage you to swim down the temperatures, with regular outdoor swims as air and water temperatures drop. Little by little, learn how your body responds to the conditions. What’s it like to swim tired, hungry or in low light? How does it feel to change in a blowing wind with numb fingers? What does it feel like in your body? Are you even enjoying it?
Life is enduring enough, and if winter swimming is just another task or “should do” on the list, consider whether it is for you. There are plenty of brilliant ways to embrace and enjoy the water through the short days and cool seasons. Saunas are a great way to gather and be part of a community near the water, or perhaps try a local lido, heated even in winter. However you master the cold this winter, do it with joy as a priority.
Enjoy!
Ella Foote, Editor
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- Event review: Great Fjord Swim
Simon Griffiths took part in the final Gaelforce Events swimming race of the season - NOWCA launches bright new badges to celebrate your winter swims
This season, NOWCA’s popular Sub10 milestone badges have a bright new look - Where cold water meets the mind
“Cold water keeps us honest,” says adaptive swimmer Sophie Etheridge - The buoyancy you’ve never actually built
Intuitive Swimming Coach Brian Holliday explains how we can feel our way to better swimming - Overtraining? How to spot you’re pushing yourself too hard
More training doesn’t always mean more progress, says fitness coach Vivenne Rickman. Discover the warning signs of overtraining, from persistent fatigue and declining performance to recurring injuries, and learn how to give your body the recovery it needs. - Give your winter a goal
Some winter swimming events are all about simply having fun in cold water, says editor Ella Foote - Build cold-water confidence with swimming and sauna
How the swimming pool and sauna can prepare you for the great outdoors, says swimming coach Nicola Butler - Know your limits, prepare for the cold
After a hot summer, winter temperatures may hit harder says Alice Dearing - Sauna founded in friendship
Saunas are booming across the UK, and one garden on the Surrey-Hampshire border shows why. Ella Foote meets the friends who turned a knee-deep pond into a natural swimming pool, a woodland sauna and a growing community - Wool, reborn in the water
Norwegian brand Iceme is bringing knitted swimwear back to the water. Ella Foote pulls on a merino suit and talks to founder Tina Hage - How do I choose supportive swimwear?
Whether you’re after bust support, tummy control or long bodied styles – Margot Lundgren, Zoggs’ Product Line Manager, shares her expert advice to choosing supportive swimwear - Static cooling: How to ice bath properly
Fenwick Ridley, aka Ice Viking, is Founder of Northumbrian Sauna, Team GB Ice Swimmer, Sauna Master, and open water trainer. He has built a life around water, heat and the benefits of contrast therapy. With years of hands-on experience, he shares how to ice bathe properly - What cold water mastery really means
Colder, longer, tougher: it’s easy to assume that’s how progress in cold water is measured. Channel and Ice Swimmer Alice Goodridge, author of ‘The Cold Water Handbook’, argues that real experience looks quite different - Swimming with strangers
Adventurer Lindsey Cole tells Rowan Clarke how dipping with strangers changed her idea of home - Masters of winter
Is there a secret to mastering winter swimming? Rowan Clarke finds out - You don’t have to love cold water swimming to be a ‘proper’ outdoor swimmer
A cold water convert, Simon Griffiths (reluctantly) got into winter swimming during the pandemic - Are you a winter swimmer… or just winter swimming curious?
Fancy a challenge that’ll keep you motivated all winter? Polar Bear and Penguin Challenge founder Pauline Barker MBE is celebrating a special milestone this year and you could be a part of it…
