Wild Swimming in Perthshire
Wild Swimming Clunie Loch
So today, on Friday 13th (gasp) of March, I tried Wild Swimming … without a wetsuit.
The venue was Clunie Loch, a beautiful spot which lies between Blairgowrie and Dunkeld.
Our group was made up of two seasoned wild swimmers: Mel and Lesley, and my daughter, Alannah, and myself. AKA The Dolphin, The Goddess, The Bond Girl and Flounder.
I had packed up the car as if we were going to the North Pole: blankets, towels, food, flask of tea, neoprene gloves and socks, hat,
warm clothes for afterwards, jogging stuff for before our dip … and more. Mel was much more streamlined and had everything in one dry bag.
Well it is Visit Scotland’s Year of Coasts and Waters #YCW2020 so why not go the whole hog and get into the water on a bright but freezing cold March day?
Mel filmed Alannah and I entering the water, which is over on Instagram. Alannah (who looks like a Bond Girl compared to my Ena Sharples/Flounder combo)
had been practicing the Wimhoff method of breathing, which apparently makes your skin alkaline and enables you to stay longer in the water.
Anyway she stayed in much longer than me. Although I went in for a second dook!
After I came out and got dried and dressed, it was important to have a hot drink (and a doorstop sandwich) to raise the core body temperature. But I discovered I had a severe case of the shakes. This happens to some people. I could hardly hold my cup of tea.
It takes four times as long for your body to warm up as it does for it to cool down – more like four hundred times longer in my case – especially hands and feet.
what a fantastic experience though. Lesley had made a fire and we were in this wonderfully atmospheric lochside setting. Truly magical.
Alannah and I had been at a Power Yoga class at 7.30am at Live Active Leisure, Rodney Fitness Centre, Perth. That woke us up, so we were all set for the wild swim.
I can safely say that I will definitely be doing this again. Watch this space!
