After this first retreat, we started going on more and more swimming trips together. These adventures sparked my decision to swim in every tidal pool in Britain—which, in turn, became the focus for my first book, a story of swimming and sisterhood titled The Tidal Year.
Searching for this kind of genuine companionship can be tough in an increasingly online world where many of us feel lonelier than ever. There’s a growing cynicism surrounding online connections. Going back to basics and making friends through shared interests and activity-based events can be a great way to meet people—as shown by the increased interest in running clubs as a replacement for dating apps. Water is a wonderful way to meet people—swimming is good exercise, often done in the great outdoors, and there’s the allure of a warming cup of tea and slice of cake afterwards.
Swimming is one of the only sports where women outperform men. Studies have shown women excel long-distance due to better buoyancy, metabolic efficiency, and resilience, as well as benefiting from the physiological advantages of cold-water exposure. Potentially, as a result of this, wild swimming communities are often primarily women—some retreats are advertised as women only. Still, even if they’re not, they end up with mostly female guests. It’s not that they set out to be exclusive but rather nurture the desire to reflect, open up, and find deeper connections.
Beyond the health benefits and opportunity to meet new people, a final and arguably most important reason why these retreats are so wonderful is that wild swimming retreats are true retreats. Life is busy; we’re all burnt out. A swim stay offers the ultimate excuse to escape. You simply cannot reply to emails, answer phone calls, or make to-do lists while you’re in the water. At many of these retreats, the itinerary, meals, and transportation are sorted for you. All you need to do is show up and every decision is taken care of. Now that’s a real vacation. Below, we’ve rounded up the best wild swimming retreats in the UK.
The UK’s best wild swimming retreats
The Salt Sisterhood, Falmouth, Cornwall
This is the retreat that sparked my friendship. On this women’s-only retreat, guests have the option of private or communal rooms in a Scandi-style wooden house set back from the Helford River. You start the day with a swim in the secluded creek that inspired Daphne Du Maurier’s Frenchman’s Creek, followed by breakfast and yoga led by The Salt Sisterhood founder Lauren Biddulph. Each day, Lauren guides guests to different secret swim spots in Cornwall. Godrevy’s Cove was my favorite—it begins with a coastal hike through a tangle of blackberry bushes. Lauren is joined by a chef who cooks colorful and wholesome vegetarian food, then it’s hot chocolate and yin yoga before bed. Cornwall is leading the trend for guided swim stays, with Watergate Bay Hotel offering surf lessons and coaching on your swim stroke work, while the beachfront Scarlet Hotel offers weekends at its outdoor natural reed pond and eco spa.
