New to swimming and hoping to take part in a festive dip over the Christmas and New Year period?

We have compiled essential information from our water safety partners, experienced cold water swimming ambassadors, and friends to ensure you enjoy it safely. 

Our guide covers everything from preparation before swimming to what you need after, as well as what to expect when you’re in the water!

Swim with others

The safest way to enjoy a festive dip is to find an organised event where you will be in the company of others. This will help ensure that everything is managed correctly, and swimmers will look out for one another. Organised festive swims vary from large-scale events to smaller ones, so you should be able to find one that suits your vibe.  

It’s strongly advised not to swim solo. If you don’t want to or can’t find a local swim event, consider gathering a group of friends to enjoy the experience together. 

If you must swim alone, which is not advised, ensure that you inform someone of your location and the expected duration of your swim.  

Check conditions beforehand

Before swimming, always check the weather conditions and research the water temperature. 

The RNLI has a strong saying, ‘If in doubt, don’t go out.’ Never enter the water if the conditions are too dangerous or the weather is too cold.

Prepare with the right kit

Preparation for cold water swimming is essential. It will help you warm up quickly and ensure you don’t get dangerously cold after exiting the water. 

Olympian and cold water swimming coach Keri-anne Payne shares her must-have kit in our Cold Water Swimming Guide: 

• Swimsuit
• Swim hat
• Goggles
• Woolly hat
• Booties
• Gloves
• Warm drink
• Dryrobe® Advance changing robe

The RNLI also advises on brightly coloured swim caps and tow floats to ensure you can be seen in the water.

Remember, you can also wear a wetsuit! This will also help with buoyancy.

After swimming, make sure to have warm, loose, and dry clothes to change into, including hats, gloves, and socks.

This is where a Dryrobe® Advance comes into its own, as not only does it dry you off while changing, but it also protects you from cold and wet weather, and can also be kept on as a warm coat afterwards.

A hot drink is also an essential part of warming up and refuelling after your swim. 

Extra tip: Some swimmers like to put a hot water bottle in the inside pocket of the Dryrobe® Advance for extra warmth post swim!

Understand cold water shock

Cold water shock is basically the reaction of our bodies when suddenly submerged in cold water. 

Extreme endurance athlete Ross Edgley is the first and only person to swim around Great Britain to date, and also successfully swam around the whole of Iceland earlier this year. He explains the overwhelming effects of cold water in our Cold Water Swimming Tips blog:

‘You may be a good swimmer, but cold water is completely different. When you’re trying to swim in cold water that will affect your cardiorespiratory system. All of a sudden you are no longer bilaterally breathing, you’re gasping for air every other stroke.’

It’s important to be prepared for this, so you know to take control of your breathing and avoid panic.

Keri-anne Payne shares a breathing technique to help control your breathing when in the cold:

‘Run through a few rounds of breathing, breathing in for a count of 4 and out for a count of 6/8. This will help to switch the cortisol to endorphins - it is the trigger for people to feel euphoric when they get out from a cold water swim.’

Acclimatise slowly

Which brings us nicely onto accimatisation. 

Firstly, never jump straight into the water as this will certainly lead to cold water shock.

You need to slowly enter the water and ensure your breathing is under control. The RNLI advises allowing a minute to let your body get used to the water, as the initial effects of cold water pass in less than a minute.

Get out wanting more

You know the saying, end on a high? It couldn’t be more relevant when it comes to cold water swimming. 

Keri-anne Payne explains how you should ‘always get out wanting more.’

‘When I go swimming and get to the point where I'm thinking to myself ‘This is amazing!', after the initial shock, I get out. It's always better to be safe than sorry. Also, this gives me the best chance to really understand how my body reacts to the cold and I have started to learn more about how long I can stay in for.’

Warm up properly after

Quickly circling back to having a suitable, warm kit, Ross Edgley explains why warming up properly after swimming is vital:

‘Some people don’t understand that once you get out of the water your body and your core temperature are still dropping, you are still cooling. So people get out of the water and they think they’re done, and they’re not.

That’s the time you need to stick on a Dryrobe® changing robe. During the Great British Swim, I’d get out of the water, and sometimes what I would do is start hitting burpees in my Dryrobe® on the boat! People were like, “Are you not exhausted?!” And yeah, I was exhausted, but I know my temperature is still dropping, so before I’d get into bed, I’d need to warm my core temperature up!'

Know what to do in an emergency

Educating yourself on the local emergency number is fundamental. If you or anyone else is in a dangerous situation in or on the water in the UK, please call 999 or 112 and ask for the Coastguard.

Speak to your GP first

If you’re unsure whether you should go in cold water due to any medical issues, please consult your GP or a Healthcare Professional first. 

Where will you be swimming this festive season? Remember to tag us on social so we can stay up to date with your Dryrobe® adventures!

You can check out our complete guide to cold water swimming for beginners here, with advice from Ross Edgley and Keri-anne Payne. 

Published on December 22, 2025