Just Be Cool...
Cold Water Swimming - Oddly Life-Changing
I was once in a book on Cold Water Swimming at the Ponds - well my bum was anyway! I was about to dive in when a photographer working on a book about The Chilly Pastime, asked if they could get a snap of me. My derriere is forever captured on film and in that book…I just don’t have a copy anymore. But I still have my bum.
There’s a moment right before you step into cold water when your mind tells you to reconsider. Everything in you wants to stay warm, dry, comfortable. But then you do it, the cold nips at your skin, and your breath catches in surprise. But then all becomes calm. Time slows down (except you need to keep an eye on it to make sure you don’t get hypothermia).
Cold water swimming isn’t an act of masochism or madness. It’s just... oddly addictive. And the Hampstead Ponds—tucked away in London’s sprawling green oasis—are about as close to magic as you’ll find in the middle of a city. If you’ve ever wondered what it’s all about, here’s the case for giving it a go (even if you’re 99% sure you won’t like it).
The Shock and the Glow
The first thing you notice when you enter cold water is, well, everything. It’s impossible not to be in the moment when your body is screaming, THIS IS REALLY COLD.
And then, something shifts. Your body adjusts, the initial shock melts away, and you’re left with a strange and wonderful clarity. It’s not just that you’ve survived—you’ve thrived. You feel alive in a way that’s hard to explain.
At Hampstead Ponds, this experience feels extra special. Maybe it’s the setting—tree-lined banks, birds skimming the water, the kind of quiet that tricks you into forgetting you’re in London.
It’s Weirdly Good for You
Cold water swimming has some impressive health perks. It’s like a free tune-up for your body. The cold kickstarts your circulation, reduces inflammation, and even boosts your immune system. And that euphoric buzz you feel afterward? That’s your brain rewarding you with a cocktail of happy hormones for doing something mildly ridiculous.
But beyond the science, it just feels good. There’s something grounding about stripping life down to a single, bracing moment. No emails, no endless scrolling, no overthinking—just you, the water, and an urge to keep moving.
It’s Not About Being Tough
If you think cold water swimmers are some kind of superhumans, let me reassure you: they’re not. There are all kinds of weird and wonderful bods chatting away, their skin shining red after their dip. There are academics, journalists, Hasidic jews, actors, oldies, athletes and dreamers. Musicians, novelists, cat lovers and people doing the strangest exercises you’ve ever seen. I even saw Benedict Cumberbatch there the other day.
Hampstead Ponds have a way of making the experience feel less intimidating. Maybe it’s the lifeguards keeping a watchful eye or the regulars who’ll cheerfully tell you, “The first time is the worst—then it’s all downhill.” It’s not about how long you stay in or how far you swim; it’s about showing up and letting the water do its thing.
There’s no pressure to fall in love with it immediately. Start small: a quick dip, a toe in the water. You might hate it. Or you might find yourself returning, drawn to the simplicity of it—the way the cold strips everything down to the essentials.
Best case, you’ll find yourself hooked on a little bit of cold, a little bit of madness, and a whole lot of life.
If this struck a chord, follow along for more musings, moments, and maybe even a laugh or two as we navigate life’s icy waters together.