INTRODUCTION TO COLD WATER SWIMMING
With the fabulous Caron Millar — Wild Wood lifeguard & all-round superhero
Painting above by Mhari Brown
Saturday 26th September 2026 | 10am–12pm
Wild Wood UK
£36 per person
START YOUR COLD-WATER JOURNEY AT WILD WOOD
Curious about cold-water swimming but not quite sure where to begin?
This relaxed and supportive introduction is designed to give you the confidence, knowledge and practical experience you need to start enjoying colder water safely.
Set in our beautiful spring-fed lake, surrounded by woodland, wildlife and lily pads, you’ll spend two hours with the brilliant Caron Millar, one of our Wild Wood lifeguards, learning how to approach cold water calmly, safely and — most importantly — enjoyably.
You absolutely do not need to be a seasoned swimmer or someone who can leap fearlessly into freezing water.
This is for beginners, nervous first-timers, cautious dippers and anyone who simply wants to understand their body and the water a little better.
The aim isn’t to see who can stay in the longest.
It’s about learning to listen to your body, understand your limits and discover how cold-water swimming can become a safe and enjoyable part of your life.
WHAT WE’LL COVER
We’ll combine a relaxed, interactive session on land with a fully supported experience in the lake.
Understanding cold water
What actually happens to your body when you enter colder water and why those first few moments can feel so intense.
Cold-water shock
Understanding your body’s initial response, how to manage your breathing and why entering the water gradually matters.
Knowing your limits
Why longer and colder aren’t necessarily better, and how to recognise when it’s time to get out.
Staying safe
Simple habits that can make a huge difference, including swimming with others, assessing conditions and making sensible decisions before entering the water.
What to wear
Skins, wetsuits, neoprene gloves, boots, hats and tow floats — what you really need and what you probably don’t.
Getting warm afterwards
How to dress, warm up gradually and understand the continued drop in body temperature that can happen after leaving the water.
Making cold water part of your routine
How to build confidence and consistency without feeling pressured to go colder, further or stay in for longer.
Why people love it
We’ll also explore some of the reasons people return to the water week after week — from movement and time outdoors to connection, routine and that wonderful post-swim feeling.
Then we’ll put it all into practice with a fully guided dip/swim in the Wild Wood lake.
There’ll be plenty of time for questions throughout, so bring every “silly” question you’ve ever wanted to ask. Chances are, everyone else is wondering exactly the same thing.
AND THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING…
Everyone who completes the course automatically becomes part of our:
WILD WOOD CHILLY DIPS CLUB
Because getting into cold water once is one thing.
Having people to keep getting into it with is where the magic happens.
The Wild Wood Chilly Dips Club will meet weekly, giving you somewhere to keep dipping, build your confidence and become part of a community of like-minded people.
Each week we’ll have a different theme or conversation alongside our dip, touching on things like mindfulness and forest bathing, mental wellbeing and other topics that feel relevant to our Chilly Dips community.
And sometimes?
We’ll simply dip, chat and have a really good cup of something warm afterwards.
No pressure. No competition. No need to be the fastest, bravest or coldest person in the lake.
Just a lovely Chilly Dips community showing up for themselves and each other.
PLUS — YOUR NEXT SWIM IS ON US
After completing your Introduction to Cold Water Swimming session, we’ll give you one FREE Wild Wood swim so you can come back and put your newfound confidence into practice.
We’ll email your booking code to you after the course.
YOUR SESSION INCLUDES
✓ 2-hour Introduction to Cold Water Swimming
✓ Friendly and interactive theory session
✓ Fully guided lake dip/swim with Caron
✓ Tow float use
✓ Hot drink
✓ Cake — obviously
✓ Automatic access to the Wild Wood Chilly Dips Club
✓ One FREE Wild Wood swim after completing the course
£36 per person
WHAT TO BRING
If possible, please arrive with your swimming costume already on underneath your clothes.
Bring plenty of loose, warm layers that are quick and easy to put back on afterwards — tracksuit bottoms, jumpers, fleeces and a big coat are ideal.
You’ll also need:
A swimming costume or comfortable wetsuit
Two warm hats — one can be worn for your dip and a dry one kept for afterwards
A large towel or changing robe
Crocs, sliders or flip-flops for getting to and from the lake
Aqua shoes if you prefer having something on your feet in the water
A waterproof bag for wet kit
A reusable cup for your post-swim drink
Optional extras include neoprene gloves and boots, plus your own tow float if you already have one.
Please don’t worry about buying lots of specialist kit before your first session. Part of the course is helping you understand what will actually be useful for the kind of cold-water swimming you’d like to do.
FAQs
Do I need to be an experienced swimmer?
No. This is specifically designed as an introduction. You won’t be expected to swim distances and we can keep your experience within an area where you feel comfortable.
What if I’m nervous about getting in?
That’s completely normal — and exactly why we’re running the course. Nobody will be pressured to do anything they aren’t comfortable with.
Do I have to wear a wetsuit?
No. You can wear a swimming costume or wetsuit depending on your preference and the conditions. We’ll talk through the pros and cons during the session.
Will I have to put my head under?
Absolutely not. Cold-water dipping doesn’t have to mean submerging your head or swimming lengths.
What happens if I decide I don’t want to get in?
That’s completely fine. Understanding your own limits and making sensible decisions is an important part of cold-water safety.
Can I come on my own?
Please do — in fact, we’d love you to. The whole idea behind the Chilly Dips Club is to create a community, so you don’t need to already have a cold-water-swimming buddy to get involved.
READY TO JOIN CHILLY DIPS?
Come and spend a couple of hours with Caron, learn how to approach cold water with confidence and discover a whole new side of Wild Wood.
Saturday 26th September 2026 | 10am–12pm
£36 per person
Your first dip might just become your favourite new habit.
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