The Christmas season is upon us! What was once unconventional is fast becoming a festive tradition, with hordes of people taking to the ocean for their annual winter dip. Shake off the food-coma, feel alive and get outside with the local community by taking part in a Christmas Day, Boxing Day or New Year's Day swim, whilst raising money for charity. Below we’ve compiled a few of many organised festive swims around the country, highlighting dips in Cornwall, Wales, Dorset, East Anglia, London and the Lake District. Grab your swimmers and your Robie and we’ll meet you at the water's edge! 

 

Cornwall 

Christmas Day 

Where: Crooklets Beach, Bude

When: Sunday 25th December 2022 at 11am

The annual Mike Moyle Memorial Christmas Day Swim is happening again, and there’s strictly no wetsuits allowed! Any donation money raised goes to the Bude Surf Life Saving Club, who organise the event and provide full lifeguard cover from qualified club members. Mulled wine, hot chocolate and sausage rolls are available free of charge at the club house post-swim. There’s no need to register, just turn up, strip off and wait for the starting whistle! 

 

Boxing Day

Where: Perranporth Surf Life Saving Club, Perranporth Beach

When: Monday 26th December 2022 at 10.15am 

The Perranporth Surf Life Saving Club have organised their annual Boxing Day dip and everyone is welcome. Volunteer lifeguards will be on duty between 9am - 12pm, with swimmers meeting at 10.15am for the swim to commence at 10.30am. Refreshments will be available at the club house, and once again, it’s no wetsuits allowed! This yearly swim is a hugely popular event, with hundreds of people turning up, many with Santa hats and dogs in tow, for the chilly swim. Morale is high as the local community comes together to celebrate Christmas and wash away the feasting of the day before! 

  

Where: Charlestown Harbour, Charlestown, St. Austell 

When: Monday 26th December at 10.45am 

In aid of Children’s Hospice South West and organisers Charlestown Rowing Club, this Boxing Day swim is for all swimmers over 11 years of age (anyone who is under 16 and wanting to take part must be accompanied by a participating adult). You must raise a minimum of £10 sponsorship money to join in, and you can download a sponsorship form via the rowing club’s website and Facebook page, or email them on charlestowngigs@gmail.com. Meet at 10.45am at Charlestown Harbour on Boxing Day to register and jump in!

 

Wales

Christmas Day 

Where: Porthcawl Beach, Bridgend 

When: Sunday 25th December 2022 at 10.30am 

First started in 1965, the Christmas morning annual swim at Porthcawl now sees over 1,000 swimmers take the water every year, raising thousands for local charities. Many wearing fancy dress, it’s a time for locals and visitors to get together, share the Christmas spirit and really work up an appetite for their Christmas dinner! Swimmers meets at the beach at 10.30am for registration, and the swim commences at 11.45am. 

 

Boxing Day 

Where: North Beach, Tenby 

When: Monday 26th December 2022 at 11am 

The Tenby Boxing Day Swim, organised by the Tenby Sea Swimming Association, is celebrating it’s 50th year. The TSSA also host a summer event, and between both swims over the course of five decades they have raised nearly £300,000 for local, national and international charities and good causes. Swimmers can collect for their own good causes or the charities nominated by TSSA.

 

New Year's Day 

Where: Parrog, Pembrokeshire, West Wales

When: 1st January 2023 at 12pm 

Aptly named The Mayor’s New Year’s Day Dip, as the mayor really does take part! The Newport Boat Club in Pembrokeshire have organised the chilly swim in the Parrog estuary for years. Meet at the Boat Club at noon to see the new year in in the best way, before dipping in the estuary then dashing back to the club for a hot shower and a mug of soup. 

 

Dorset 

Christmas Day 

Where: Weymouth Harbour, Weymouth 

When: Sunday 25th December at 11am 

The Christmas Day Weymouth Harbour Swim is one of the UK’s largest annual Christmas Day swims. Thousands of supporters turn up each year to cheer on hundreds of swimmers as they plough across the 70-metre distance between the Cove on Trinity Road and the Harbour Master’s office on Custom House Quay. Run by the Weymouth and Portland Lions Club, the RNLI are on the water to provide safety cover, and MV Freedom, a local charity that enables disabled people to enjoy boat trips around the outer harbour and Portland, helps the Lions by providing a ferry service across the harbour. Tickets cost £15 and are available here.

 

New Year's Day 

Where: Cobb Beach, Lyme Regis

When: Sunday 1st January 2023 at 12.30pm 

Wetsuits are allowed at this New Years Day swim, but preferably with fancy dress over the top! Organised by the local Rotary club, you can raise money for their chosen charity, a good cause of your choice, or just join in for the dip. The Harbour Inn provide hot soup for all swimmers, and the event attracts dippers, competitive swimmers, watchers and dog walkers alike. Plus, there’s an annual Grand Duck Race, which is very popular with attendees and starts at 12pm, prior to the swim. 

 

 

East Anglia

Christmas Day 

Where: East Point Pavillion, Lowestoft 

When: Sunday 25th December 2022 at 8.30am 

The Everyone Active 2022 Lowestoft Christmas Day Swim is one of the biggest in the region. Hundreds of swimmers and thousands of onlookers attend to raise money for the James Paget Charity Trust and other local good causes. Swimmers need to apply to take part, and application forms are available online on the Everyone Active website and in person from Waterlane Leisure Centre. Registration starts at 8.30am with swimmers taking to the water at 10am. 

Boxing Day 

Where: Cromer Pier, Norfolk 

When: Monday 26th December 2022 at 10.30am 

Burn off Christmas calories with a dip in the icy North Sea! If you’re feeling energetic, there’s a fun run that starts at the Cromer Pier forecourt at 10.30am, which is then followed by the Boxing Day swim at 11.30am. This year the event is raising money for Sarcoma UK, a charity that funds vital research, offers support for anyone affected by sarcoma cancer and campaigns for better treatments. 

 

 

London 

Christmas Day 

Where: Hampstead Heath Ponds, Hampstead Heath 

When: Sunday 25th December 2022 from 7.30am 

Allowing city-livers to dive in on Christmas Day too, the Hampstead Heath Ponds are open! The Ladies’ Pond is open from 7.30am until 12pm, with last entry at 11.30am, and the Men’s Pond is open from 7.30am - 8.30am for men only, then 8.30am - 10.30am for a mixed Christmas dip. Rally your friends and family, don your swimmers and get down to Hampstead Heath to work up an appetite before your Christmas dinner!

 

New Year's Day 

Where: Beckenham Place Park, Beckenham

When: Sunday 1st January 2023 at 10am - 2pm 

For those aged 8 years and up, start the year with a chilly dip in the lake at Beckenham Place Park. You’ll need to book an hourly slot, with pre-booked tickets costing £16 and £20 for on the day tickets. The lake staff will give you a cold water safety brief, plus the Beckenham team advise you wear a wetsuit if you’re planning on staying in for a good length of time. 

 

Lake District 

New Years Day 

Where: Fell Foot, Windermere, Cumbria 

When: Sunday 1st January at 9.30am 

This free event organised by the National Trust is for seasoned cold water swimmers and first-time dippers alike. Brave the lakes, with wetsuit hire available for £5, and a hot shower and free hot drink waiting for you at the Active Base post-swim. The cafe will also be open from 9.30am for drinks and hot breakfast rolls. The event is free but donations towards the work happening at Fell Foot are welcome.  

 

Tempted by a festive dip? We hope you’ve found a place and time that fits in with your Christmas Day, Boxing Day or New Year's Day schedule. There are plenty of other organised cold water swims up and down and the country, and we think it’s the perfect way to say goodbye to 2022 and welcome in the New Year with friends and family. If you know someone who’s keen for a swim this festive season, why not gift them a Dry-Series Robie? It’s the perfect present to keep your loved one warm before and after their dip, and it might even ignite the cold water swimming spark inside of them for the coming year!