Lonely Planet has launched a new travel and lifestyle title – The Joy of Wild Swimming, and as a wild swimming enthusiast I was delighted to review the book.
Swimming is one of my passions, you can see my other blog posts for examples of how much being around the water calms me; The magic of the sea and cold water swimming and the benefits.
I love to swim in new places too, so the promise of discovering 60 of the world's most joyous swimming destinations was amazing - plus a further 120 ideas for beautiful bathing spots to visit.
Part of the 'Joy of' series, the book explores the uplifting effect of water and how swimming in nature can bring more joy to your life. I grabbed a cuppa and sat in the sun to have a read.
To be honest, the content of the book was pretty envy-making as I could easily swim at every single place! The photography shows off beautifully inviting swim spots from across the globe, from the lakes and rivers of Europe, to hot springs, cold lakes and mysterious cenotes in the Americas. Each swim features details about getting there, challenge levels of swimming and further information about each destination. There is also a little quote from people who have swum in each place and why they like it, which is a nice personal touch.
I enjoyed reading about the Dedham Vale swim in Constable Country as that is one near where I live. I have paddleboarded and swam in this river and it is truly beautiful.
The Amsterdam swims interested me too as I will be there in December and would love to try out a relaxing dip at some of the places suggested, such as the IJ bay - although it will probably be pretty chilly!
If you are looking for places to be inspired to visit or are planning a trip and would love to fit in a quick dip then this is definitely the book for you. A great idea for a Christmas present for a fellow swimmer, to spread the joy of wild swimming. Whether you're an experienced wild swimmer or someone who's curious to dip that first toe in the water.
See other reviews of fun and adventurous products here.