The first swim at Barcombe Mills, East Sussex

I felt like I had already got to know a little about the people who were coming to take part in the swims, by the time we all met as a group for the first time. That initial moment was quite exciting for me as I knew that we were all there for passionate reasons - and these motivations were very varied. For some, wild swimming was a terrified yearning, a longing to swim outdoors but with too many worries to actually do it.

Overcoming these fears was a liberating and joyful experience.