When winter swimming without a wetsuit, a rule of thumb is 1 minute in the water per 1oC of water temperature, so for those new to winter swimming 2 or 3 minutes is more than enough. Only enter cold water if you can tread water and are a confident swimmer. To allow yourself to get in more gradually and stand up in depth, enter using the metal steps as there is hard standing between the two (sets of steps) and it isn’t deep. It’s helpful to reset what you’re doing to ‘winter dipping’ to eliminate the expectation of distance. Get out of the water if it’s not comfortable, especially if you feel light-headed or unwell – and always at the onset of shivering.
