Christmas Day Celebrations
Felixstowe, Suffolk
This festive event is a true community party, featuring hundreds of participants adorned in holiday attire as they plunge into the North Sea at precisely 10am. Spectators gather along the promenade too cheer them on. The occasion supports St Elizabeth Hospice and each year brings fresh stories of bravery and even love (there have been proposals mid-dip!).The atmosphere is as uplifting as the water is frigid. Afterward, take a leisurely walk around town, enjoying its four-mile promenade and beautiful seafront gardens.
10am, £1, stelizabethhospice.org.uk
Penarth and Porthcawl
The Penarth Christmas swim. Photograph: James Richardson
The Dawnstalkers gather daily to welcome the sunrise with a swim next to Penarth pier, located three miles south of Cardiff city center – Christmas morning is no exception.This inclusive swimming group invites anyone to join in. A wood-fired sauna will be available from december 21–29 along the promenade for those seeking warmth after their dip. Meanwhile, Porthcawl’s Christmas swim (25 miles further down the coast) has its roots in 1965 when local swimming icon Arlon Owens was humorously pushed off the pier dressed as a clown by another swimmer donning a Santa suit. over a thousand swimmers—many still in costume—take part each year, raising significant funds for local charities.
Penarth: 8am, free, dawnstalkers.com. Porthcawl: 11:15am (enter water at 11:45am), sugested donation £10,
christmasswim.org.
The Peter Pan Cup at Hyde Park’s Serpentine, London
The Serpentine Swimming Club’s peter Pan Cup race. Photograph: Dominic Lipinski/PA.
This historic festive swim has taken place every Christmas morning since 1864 at Hyde Park’s Serpentine Lake and was named after JM Barrie who donated its first trophy back in 1904. This brisk yet exhilarating 100-yard race is exclusive to club members; however spectators are warmly welcomed along the lakeside to support participants.
9am,
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< strong > Weymouth , Dorset
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< figcaption >The origins of Weymouth’s Christmas dip go back to an amusing wager made by two locals.
This tradition began back in 1948, when pub owner Dill Laker made an amusing bet with taxi driver Reggie Bugler after some drinks on Christmas Eve that they could swim across Weymouth Harbour! Today it has evolved into one of Britain’s most cherished festive swims where hundreds dive into icy waters while thousands cheer them on from shore—all while raising money for local disability charities! Don’t forget to explore both this picturesque harbour area and its expansive sandy beach lined with colorful beach huts.
< em > From 09:30 am, £15 , < em > love-weymouth.co.uk