To those with a fear of open water swimming, going for a dip at night is probably the stuff of nightmares. All that inky water, the fear an ankle will get caught by a reed (or worse) and that no one will know you’ve gone until they find your clothes at the water’s edge.
Yet it is precisely the frisson of danger which makes night swimming so rewarding. It feels illicit, daring and – especially if you don’t wear a swimming costume – rather naughty. Saturday nights during my teenage years were spent sneaking into an unlocked pool in our village, jumping in wearing our pants and giggling our heads off.
But you’ve got to be careful. Whether you’re splashing around in the sea, a lake or a river, the surface should be calm, the wind low, you mustn’t go out of your depth and don’t do it alone. You certainly need moonlight of some description: stars alone don’t provide enough illumination to get in and out safely.
If you’re nervous, join an organised swim. Head to the Hills, based in Ambleside, offer night swimming adventures in the Lake District. Open to all swimmers, even those with no outdoor experience, these fully guided swims take place in the most beautiful spots in the national park. Led by Pete and Andrea and their amazing aquatic dog, Boot, this summer they are offering A Night on the Tarn, a guided moonlit wild swim in a Lake District tarn (the exact location is a secret until you book) and the Bonfires & Badgers Wild Swim in Rydal Water near Grasmere, followed by an evening at the Badger Bar. Contact Head to the Hills on 015394 33826, or see headtothehills.co.uk. Wetsuit hire available.
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