Swimming into sunrise

As someone who's naturally an early riser, I'm keen to maximise on the free time I have before I logon to my laptop to work. Because of the desk job I enjoy starting my day with exercise. Last month I discovered absolute perfection – sunrise swimming at my local outdoor lido – Northcroft.

As a pisces I find great joy swimming and being beside the sea. I've been watching wild swimming building in popularity and I can see the appeal:

• physical and mental health benefits

• connection to nature

• sense of freedom

• stress relieving.

However, I've been put off giving it a go because of some of the barriers:

• water temperature

• pollution

• safety

• equipment required

• accessibility.

But swimming at my local outdoor lido seemed like the perfect opportunity to dip my toe in!

Picture this... the air is crisp, the world is peaceful, and I'm making my way in the dark to the pool to meet fellow swimmers – the Buick Dippers: a group that formed through the Buick Mackane co-working space. What a brilliant way to put my early morning energy to good use.

The staff at Northcroft gave us the warmest welcome, clearly delighted to see our slightly tired yet enthusiastic faces ready to embrace the plunge. We made our way to the changing rooms which are basic with private booths, wristband key lockers and shower facilities – accessible a short distance from the poolside.

Another friendly welcome from the lifeguards – something you don't often get with sea, lake and river swimming – had everything set up ready for us to dive in. The outdoor 50-meter olympic sized pool has been recently refurbished, and while the pool is heated it is still on the cooler side.

As we glided our way up and down the pool lanes, then came the moment that made it all worthwhile, the sun began to paint the sky in gorgeous shades of pink and gold. The contrast between the cool morning air on my face and the water embracing the rest of me was so refreshing.

Northcroft outdoor sunrise swim July 2025 – beach huts and sunrise

And if you think I was one of just a few crazy people getting up at the crack of dawn, you'd be wrong. I'd say around 40 people attended, creating this wonderful sense of community as we bobbed and floated through the water with the sunrise as our backdrop.

After our invigorating swim, we warmed up with hot drinks and flaky pastries from the café – the perfect reward for our early start. There's something special about that post-swim glow, chatting with new friends while steam rises from your coffee cup and knowing the world is slowly waking up around you.

I left the leisure centre with a feeling of accomplishment before the day had even started. This experience has definitely convinced me that outdoor swimming at sunrise is the ultimate way to start the day. For those that want to try wild swimming, but like me don't have the confidence to jump into chilly seas, rivers and lakes, the outdoor lido is a good compromise and a refreshing twist on your morning routine. I can't recommend this enough.

Next sunrise swim, I'll definitely be there – ready to embrace another peaceful morning in the water.