As the festive season approaches, communities across the United Kingdom are preparing for a beloved tradition: the bracing charity swim. These events, held on Christmas Day, Boxing Day, and New Year's Day, combine pure joy, community spirit, and fundraising in often icy waters. From historic races to fancy-dress plunges, here is a guide to 18 of the best mass swims to blow away the cobwebs this winter.
Christmas Day Swims: A Festive Tradition
The festivities begin bright and early on 25 December. In Felixstowe, Suffolk, hundreds of swimmers in festive attire race into the North Sea at 10am sharp, raising crucial funds for St Elizabeth Hospice amidst a heartwarming crowd. Further west, the inclusive Dawnstalkers collective in Penarth, near Cardiff, greets Christmas sunrise with a swim beside the pier, supported by a wood-fired sauna. Meanwhile, the legendary Porthcawl swim, which began in 1965 with a clown being pushed off a pier by Father Christmas, now draws over a thousand fancy-dress dippers.
London hosts one of the oldest events: the Peter Pan Cup. This exclusive 100-yard race in Hyde Park's Serpentine has been a Christmas morning fixture for the Serpentine Swimming Club since 1864. On the south coast, Weymouth's huge harbour swim traces its origins to a boozy 1948 pub bet and now sees hundreds splash 70 metres for a local disability charity.
Other notable Christmas Day plunges include the long-running community event at Hunstanton, Norfolk, and the half-century-old spectacle at Bude, Cornwall, where Santa-suited swimmers dash into the Atlantic to support the local surf life-saving club.
Boxing Day Plunges to Shake Off Indulgence
For those seeking a post-Christmas energy boost, Boxing Day offers a fantastic array of dips. In Folkestone, Kent, hundreds gather at Sunny Sands for a swim organised by the local Lions Club, with prizes for fancy dress. The hardy souls of the North East brave the North Sea at Seaton Carew, County Durham, in an event run by Hartlepool Round Table, warming up afterwards with bacon butties.
The English Riviera comes alive with the Paignton 'Walk into the Sea', a classic fancy-dress affair on the sands. For a more relaxed vibe, St Ives in Cornwall welcomes all—including dogs—to Porthminster Beach, with hot chocolates served at the nearby café. The Isle of Wight adds a quirky twist in Ventnor, where swimmers don pyjamas and tutus before enjoying mulled wine at the Spyglass Inn.
In Scotland, swimmers in Fraserburgh Harbour, Aberdeenshire, undertake a 52-metre swim across icy waters, diving from a lifeboat to raise funds for the vital RNLI station.
Welcome the New Year with a Refreshing Dip
Starting the year with a splash is a growing tradition. Inland, Salford Quays, Manchester, hosts a "big, bold and mighty cold" dip in the 7C waters of Dock 9 at MediaCity, supporting local charities with a best-dressed hat competition.
The Lake District provides a stunning backdrop at Derwentwater, Keswick, where hardy swimmers in fancy dress raise money for the Calvert Trust, which enables outdoor experiences for people with disabilities. In Northern Ireland, Bangor, County Down, sees a plunge into Ballyholme Bay for Cancer Focus NI, with a separate Boxing Day swim for the RNLI also on offer.
Wales boasts one of the UK's largest New Year's Day events at Saundersfoot, Pembrokeshire, which attracted over 2,500 participants in 2025. The Dorset coast comes alive with the Lyme Lunge in Lyme Regis, where fancy dress is encouraged and thousands watch the mayhem on Cobb beach.
Finally, no list would be complete without Scotland's famous Loony Dook. What began as a hangover cure for friends in 1986 is now a major spectacle, with hundreds parading through South Queensferry before plunging into the Firth of Forth.
These events, united by a spirit of community, charity, and good-natured madness, offer a uniquely British way to celebrate the festive season. Whether you're a seasoned dipper or a cheering spectator, they promise an unforgettable dose of winter cheer.
