Is wild swimming really all it's made out to be?

Is wild swimming all it's made out to be? Middle-class women, celebrities and weekend adventurers swear by its supposed health benefits - but there's a darker side to the 19th-century pastime, as this nurse discovered ... Around 2.7 million enthusiasts enjoyed wild swimming in England in 2021 Woman claims she caught hepatitis A after swimming in sewage-infested sea Posted: 12:31 GMT, 10 January 2023 | Updated: 15:27 GMT, 10 Jan 2023

It's the 19th century pastime that is making a comeback, especially among middle-class middle-aged women.
But is the wild bathing, whether in the ponds of fashionable North London , the cold brooks scattered in the original counties or the lochs of the Highlands, is it worth the risk?
Just yesterday, doctors have warned of the potential threat of deadly lung disease from braving the icy waters.
Meanwhile, rising pollution levels have sparked trouble health. A nurse even claims to have contracted hepatitis A after swimming in a sea infested with sewage.

Travel Jan 10, 2023 0 59 Add to Reading List

Is wild swimming really all it's made out to be?

Is wild swimming all it's made out to be? Middle-class women, celebrities and weekend adventurers swear by its supposed health benefits - but there's a darker side to the 19th-century pastime, as this nurse discovered ... Around 2.7 million enthusiasts enjoyed wild swimming in England in 2021 Woman claims she caught hepatitis A after swimming in sewage-infested sea Posted: 12:31 GMT, 10 January 2023 | Updated: 15:27 GMT, 10 Jan 2023

It's the 19th century pastime that is making a comeback, especially among middle-class middle-aged women.

But is the wild bathing, whether in the ponds of fashionable North London , the cold brooks scattered in the original counties or the lochs of the Highlands, is it worth the risk?

Just yesterday, doctors have warned of the potential threat of deadly lung disease from braving the icy waters.

Meanwhile, rising pollution levels have sparked trouble health. A nurse even claims to have contracted hepatitis A after swimming in a sea infested with sewage.