Dip your toe into wild swimming

IT'S early morning on a Saturday and instead of emerging from under the duvet sporting a raging hangover like I used to in my 20s I'm cold-water swimming in a large reservoir with other brave dippers.

- Portia Jones

Portia Jones gets ready to brave the water The visitor centre and cafe Welsh Water canoeing, paddleboarding and sailing.

As much as I used to roll my eyes at anything I perceived as woo-woo I'm now part of a growing cohort concerned with wellness and instead of slamming sambuca shots, I book organised wild swims, sauna sessions, and ice bath dips like a budget Gwyneth Paltrow.

If you love wellness near the water, Wales has an excellent selection of dreamy wild swimming spots as well as more organised outdoor swim sessions in lakes, rivers, and along our epic coastline.

If you want to connect meaningfully with nature, nothing can melt away your worries like slowly wading into freezing water in a quiet natural setting. Trust me - you won't think about whether you filed that finance report when the water is a chilly 12 degrees.

The key to wild swimming is preparation, practice, and planning. Why not attend an organised event or a controlled outdoor swim session if you feel nervous or unsure? Always swim with a friend and tell people where you are going.

While I do love a sea swim at this time of year, it is freezing cold and unpredictable. One rogue wave and you can soon be out of your depth and in trouble.

Instead, I love to do a supervised cold water dip in a scenic location like Lisvane and Llanishen Reservoirs.