ADVENTURE
Water life on the Cornish coast! Whether you’re surfing a 20ft wave, swimming with your friends or diving, there are some fantastic places to explore. CHRISSY HARRIS finds out more
JUST WILD ABOUT THE WATER...
Lydia Paleschi is co-founder of Wild Swimming Cornwall, established during lockdown to encourage more people to experience the benefits of being in cold water, surrounded by nature.
She and co-founders Max Campbell and Bethany Allen have, quite literally, written the book on the best places to swim in and around the Cornish coast.
“Swimming in Cornwall is full of surprises and there are huge variations between locations,” says Lydia. “Whether you’re seeking out quiet tidal pools protected from the waves, sheltered rivers surrounded by ancient woodland, fresh-water quarries with extra-cold water or ocean swims at one of Cornwall’s hundreds of beaches, there’s always something new to discover.
“There are so many fantastic swim spots in Cornwall that you could go to a new location every day of the year and still not visit them all.”
Lydia’s favourite places to take a dip include the Helford River and Cornwall’s tidal pools, as well as her local waters.
“I live in Falmouth, so I tend to swim mostly from Gyllyngvase Beach which is often sheltered from any waves and gently shelves into the water, making it beginner-friendly,” says Lydia. “There are kelp forests and plenty of reefs around Falmouth seafront, which also makes it great fun for snorkelling and open water swimming.”
Lydia tries to swim as often as she can, realising that spending time in the ocean is a powerful tool for emotional health and dealing with stress.
“Just two swims in a two-week period can improve our response to stress over the medium term and prolonged exposure has even greater benefits,” she says. “There’s a saying amongst the cold water swimming community that you ’never regret a swim’.”
The book A Guide to Wild Swimming in Cornwall is available via wildswimmingcornwall.co.uk
