Prøve GULL - Gratis

HIDDEN DIPS

Cycling Plus UK

|

September 2022

Up for a wild swim? Rob Ainsley strips off to chill out in waterfalls, rivers, lidos, lakes and sea and hurriedly strips on again - in a grand Dales ride with some of England's best outdoor dips

- Rob Ainsley

HIDDEN DIPS

Wild swimming has always appealed to me, just so long as I didn't have to enter any water. Well, specifically, cold water. It's because of Raynaud's Phenomenon, or as my dad's Hull accent called it, 'bad saircyulairtion'. More than a minute immersed in anything except a bath, and my hands and feet (as did his) risk turning white, immobile and painful.

While touring, I've enjoyed the odd summer-warmed German lake, or the frisson of hot springs in Iceland and New Zealand. But the idea of shivering under a Yorkshire waterfall in March never appealed. Nor did the prospect of the helicopter ride afterwards. Air ambulances are busy enough already. I've not so much been Man From Atlantis as Man From Londis.

Until I got a wetsuit. To my astonishment and delight, even frigid local lakes felt warm and inviting thanks to my Zone3 kit (wetsuit, gloves, socks, hat and all), in miracle sci-fi fabrics. Instantly, cold-blooded landlubber became thermally self-sufficient seal. Over twenty years since Roger Deakin's lyrical book Waterlog helped launch the wild swim boom, I could at last put a toe in the water myself.

But the archetypal wild swim normally involves a drive, then a half-mile scramble up a muddy footpath. I needed to do wild swimming like I do everything: by bike and train. So I wanted a spectacular and rewarding ride in its own right, but also a range of wild and outdoor submersions: waterfalls; rivers small and large; lakes; lidos; seaside. And all right on the route. Lean the bike and hop in - and perhaps swiftly out - without having to lock it up and hike.

It took a while to work out, but this one ticked the boxes. Kirkby Stephen to Morecambe, through some of my favourite Yorkshire Dales and the Lune Valley. Here's how it went...

East of Eden

Cycling Plus UK

Denne historien er fra September 2022-utgaven av Cycling Plus UK.

Abonner på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av kuraterte premiumhistorier og over 9000 magasiner og aviser.

Allerede abonnent?

FLERE HISTORIER FRA Cycling Plus UK

Cycling Plus UK

Cycling Plus UK

Workshop wisdom

What is cross-chaining and does it wear out components? We explain the ins and outs

time to read

3 mins

August 2025

Cycling Plus UK

Cycling Plus UK

THE FORMUL EFFECT

The 2025 Tour de France looks set to be the fastest in history thanks to mind-blowing modelling and speed-seeking simulations. Cycling Plus investigates the rise of big data and big minds, often inspired by the world of racing cars...

time to read

9 mins

August 2025

Cycling Plus UK

Cycling Plus UK

Sarto Raso Gravel

£14,190 as shown An Italian gravel race bike you can build your way - if you can afford it

time to read

2 mins

August 2025

Cycling Plus UK

Cycling Plus UK

Bianchi

The story behind the Italian marque that's managed to maintain a winning habit for 125 years

time to read

5 mins

August 2025

Cycling Plus UK

Cycling Plus UK

Assos Equipe R S11 cycling kit

Simplified yet elegant designs

time to read

1 min

August 2025

Cycling Plus UK

Cycling Plus UK

Gravel goes supersized

The hottest trend in racing is chunky mountain bike tyres, says Simon von Bromley

time to read

3 mins

August 2025

Cycling Plus UK

Cycling Plus UK

Bad blood

IT’S BEEN YEARS SINCE THE LAST BIG DOPING SCANDAL, SO IS THE SPORT STILL RIDDLED WITH DRUGS? WE TRY TO DISCOVER THE TRUTH

time to read

10 mins

August 2025

Cycling Plus UK

Cycling Plus UK

A concept bike with real MPACT

Warren Rossiter hopes Canyon's wild urban e-mobility design becomes reality

time to read

1 mins

August 2025

Cycling Plus UK

Cycling Plus UK

Bucking the price rises

There's still value to be found in the cycling market - you just need to look harder

time to read

3 mins

August 2025

Cycling Plus UK

Cycling Plus UK

FROM THE PELOTON TO THE ROAD

Galfer's new Shark Road disc has been developed with the Lotto team to provide top performance for road and gravel riding

time to read

1 mins

August 2025