Traditional date
Festive swim · England
Peter Pan Cup Christmas Day Swim
Hyde Park, London
Serpentine Swimming Club members race 100 yards in the cold lake on Christmas morning.
25 December 2026
ROUND-UP GUIDE · 4 EVENTS
Festive sea swims.
Thousands of people start the festive season with a freezing swim, usually in fancy dress and usually for charity. Watching is free and the atmosphere is cheerful; taking part normally means registering in advance.
If you plan to swim, take the organiser’s safety advice seriously: cold water shock is real, and short dips are the norm.
At a glance
- Peter Pan Cup Christmas Day Swim 25 December 2026 · Hyde Park, London Stay nearby ↗
- Tenby Boxing Day Swim 26 December 2026 · Tenby, Pembrokeshire Stay nearby ↗
- Loony Dook 1 January 2027 · South Queensferry, Edinburgh Stay nearby ↗
- Saundersfoot New Year’s Day Swim 1 January 2027 · Saundersfoot, Pembrokeshire Stay nearby ↗
Traditional date
Festive swim · Wales
Tenby Boxing Day Swim
Tenby, Pembrokeshire
A festive sea-swimming event.
26 December 2026
Traditional date
Festive swim · Scotland
Loony Dook
South Queensferry, Edinburgh
Costumed dookers parade through South Queensferry, then plunge into the Firth of Forth.
1 January 2027
Date announced
Festive swim · Wales
Saundersfoot New Year’s Day Swim
Saundersfoot, Pembrokeshire
A New Year sea swim raising funds for good causes.
1 January 2027
“Stay nearby” links go to Booking.com, and each event guide also has train links. These are affiliate links — what that means.