"Once we'd settled in, the first thing we did was go around and share why we were there. I was immediately moved by the openness of the other guests. Responses varied from burnout and heartbreak to redundancy, grief or simply needing a rest. Although the catalyst for attending a week-long swimming trip was different for each of us, we were united in being ready for change and hopeful for connection."
"When we're waterside, we're far from our usual uniforms of clothing, profession, and status. This is a big part of what allows such a beautiful in-person connection - there's no hiding. We're stripped back, both literally and metaphorically. I was in the depths of grief at its most painful stage and, up to that point, had mostly hidden my emotions beneath the surface."
A first wild swimming retreat took place in Cornwall in 2020, when swim stays were less common. Guests shared reasons for attending that ranged from burnout and heartbreak to redundancy, grief, or needing rest. Many people had arrived at a crossroads or craved one, and attendees were united in readiness for change and hope for connection. Being waterside removed usual uniforms of clothing, profession and status, allowing honest, stripped-back encounters. The retreat's quiet, contemplative nature created space for emotional opening, swift friendships, and motivated further swimming trips and an ambition to visit every tidal pool in Britain.
Read at CN Traveller
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