A celebration of wild swimming

Thu Jul 30 2026 at 05:30 pm to 06:30 pm UTC+01:00

National Library of Scotland | Edinburgh

National Library of Scotland
Publisher/HostNational Library of Scotland
A celebration of wild swimming
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Explore the transformative power of cold water swimming.
About this Event

Cold water swimming is recognised for its health benefits, from reducing stress to improving sleep. But it also provides a chance to step away from daily noise and rediscover stillness in nature.

Writer and cold-water swim coach Gilly McArthur will introduce her new book, ‘The Beauty of Cold’, which delves into the connection between icy water, wild places, and personal wellbeing.

Gilly is joined by journalists and authors Vicky Allan and Jackie Kemp, whose anthology ‘Take Me to the River’ celebrates the rich literary tradition of wild swimming.

Together, the three writers will discuss the deep connection between water, wellbeing, and creativity. They will reflect on why immersion in open water continues to inspire both personal transformation and powerful writing.

The event will be followed by an audience Q&A.


About the speakers

Gilly McArthur is an influential cold water swim coach. She is also a presenter, writer and illustrator with a passion for ice, climbing, community and well-being

Vicky Allan is the Environment Correspondent of the Herald and the author of several books, including 'The Art of Wild Swimming', 'For the Love of Trees', and a historical novel 'Murray Hall', which she co-authored.

Jackie Kemp is a freelance journalist who writes a weekly Substack blog called 'Letter from Scotland'.





When you book an event, your personal information will be held and used by the National Library of Scotland and our third-party suppliers for the purposes of allowing you to attend the event and for audience research. For more information, visit the National Library of Scotland privacy pages, in particular the events notice and feedback and complaints notice. We expect attendees to behave respectfully towards presenters, guests and other audience members.

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Event Venue & Nearby Stays

National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Tickets

GBP 0.00

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