How long have you been swimming at Glencorse Reservoir?
I began wild swimming on 7th August 2020 and started at Glencorse on the 7th November 2020.  I’ve now swim there all the time... averaging 350 times a year — through all seasons

What first got you into open-water swimming?
I’d been to a talk on Wild Swimming by Anna Deacon in March 2019 and she had planted the seed in my mind, but it was lockdown that really got me started. My industry had collapsed during the COVID. I needed a focus, and with gyms closed I wanted a way to stay fit and connected with nature. I had already begun running 5k each weekday morning, but swimming outdoors gave me a deeper connection.

What do you enjoy most about the group/community aspect?
Initially I swam alone, but later I began meeting others from the online groups in person. That gave me confidence, and eventually I set up local groups of my own. Today the Glencorse Reservoir Swimmers group has over 2,000 members, and I’ve swum with around 300 of them. I love how swimming has introduced me to people from every walk of life. Hearing the stories of others has helped me realised that any issues I had weren't worth worrying about in the first place...

Has outdoor swimming helped you with personal challenges? If so, how?
Yes — it gave me focus when work disappeared, helped me overcome loneliness, and shifted me from being overweight and unmotivated to active, confident, and resilient. I’ve also had to face fears in the water — including hypothermia — which taught me discipline and respect for safety.

How would you describe your connection to nature while in the water?
Swimming in very cold water forces me into the present moment... just to connect with my breathing and the sounds of nature around me. I’ve watched sunrise over the sea, swum under waterfalls, floated beneath the stars, and spotted herons and otters while swimming. In those moments, there’s nothing else in my mind except a feeling of oneness with my own animalist being.

Have you noticed any changes in your physical fitness or general wellbeing?
Absolutely. I’ve lost weight, my body fat dropped from 18% to 13%, and I feel fitter and younger. Cold water has also improved circulation, resilience, and recovery. My body adapted so well that I now swim without gloves or boots even in winter... though, if the reservoir ever freezes over again I will use gloves then as the ice can cut.

What about your emotional wellbeing – has swimming changed how you feel day to day?
It has transformed my mental health. I no longer stress about what’s beyond my control. Daily swimming gives me a focus.  My wife jokingly calls it a “worryingly addictive habit.” But it has brought balance, confidence, and joy into my life.

Do you have a memorable moment or story you’d like to share?

There are so many. I've enjoyed lots of moments of laughter with others; such as when we have questioned what the hell we are doing swimming in the dark in 60mphs gusts... but loving it so much.

What advice would you give someone thinking of trying cold-water swimming?
Start slow, know your limits, and don’t rush. Always have a plan for warming up afterward. Swim with others — it’s safer and far more fun. You only need to stay in a few minutes to gain the benefits. Embrace the challenge: it’s mind over matter.

I've written an in-depth blog about it here.

Any other comments you’d like to add?
Swimming has reshaped my life, my health, and my community. I’ve been in literary and social clubs before, but the bonds formed in the water are the strongest.

If you are also a skinny dipper: how did you find the confidence, and what do you enjoy most about swimming au naturel?
At first I celebrated each milestones by skinny dipping (50th, 100th and 150th swims). Then, as the water warmed, I carried on doing it every time. I founded Edinburgh Skinny Dipping Stories  -- that helped deal with the craziness of lockdown.. but many couldn't face swimming through winter and so I set-up the Glencorse group as for all types of swimmers.  Swimming naked is liberating and the best to experience the water. It also means I no longer have a bathroom filled with 4 sets of every item drying all the time.

I have written a longer blog about my swimming experiences here