Those looking for a touch of adventure this winter are being invited to try out a Nordic-inspired experience by taking a bracing dip in the North Sea.
Ice Dip Social events, on offer from now until March, will combine a cold water dip at a local beauty spot and a follow-up Finnish sauna by the water’s edge. The social is one of several outdoor activities on offer from CBK Adventures which is bringing back its Chill Out campaign for a second year.
The Cullercoats -based company is keen to encourage people to embrace the colder weather and it is out to lure them outdoors with a range of activities which also include the likes of Glow Tours - illuminated kayak trips along the Tyne - and paddleboarding days which incorporate an al fresco 'wild cooking' session.
Read more: Fancy a wild weekend? Here's where to try wild swimming
Its Ice Dip Social is set to appeal to the growing number of hardy swimmers who enjoy open water excercise but the hope is that it will also inspire other people to give it a try, not least because the series of invigorating dips will include plenty of opportunity to warm up, with the experience of a Finnish sauna at the water’s edge as well as access during the day to a cosy Finnish Army tent, complete with log-burning stove. Locally-sourced food will be cooked over an open fire.
The company, which says winter is often a time when people become more isolated and feel low and that time spent around water improves our wellbeing, recently introduced Robson Green to the benefits of cold-water immersion and heat therapy as part of a new BBC series set to launch in the new year. Simon Laing, founder of CBK Adventures, explained the thinking behind the Chill Out campaign.
He said: “As a nation, we often limit our outdoor activities during the winter months. However, there are so many places in the world where they take full advantage of the colder conditions and the associated health benefits.
"When coming up with the activities that form part of the campaign, we took particular inspiration from our Scandinavian neighbours. They think nothing about spending time outdoors, even when the temperatures have plummeted well below freezing.
"Countries such as Finland are often voted as some of the happiest places in the world to live.”
His award-winning company, set up in 2014, offers year-round activities in its bid to promote the health benefits of spending time in, on or around water. It was awarded a silver prize in the 'ethical, sustainable and responsible tourism' category of the 2022 North East Tourism Awards, following a gold at the same awards in 2020 for 'exerience of the year’.
CBK Adventures' focus is upon offering socially-sustainable water-based activities across the North East. It also follows a Leave No Trace policy in its guided experiences, to lessen any impact upon the natural environment, and is a partner of the body '1% for the Planet’ which donates one percent of every sale to environment charities.
Its programme of activities includes kayak and paddleboard hire, guided tours, lessons, courses and coasteering and this year it made the Finnish sauna and army tent available to hire for up to half a day in Cullercoats Bay - along with a sauna assistant to keep the log fire burning and to serve bottomless hot drinks.
Those keen to book for The Ice Dip have a choice of location: Cullercoats Bay, a sheltered cove near the company base, which costs £69 or Sugar Sands, a remote beach in Northumberland, costing £99. For bookings of eight spaces on a chosen date, two additional people can be taken along free of charge.
See here for the full range of winter experiences and the details of how to book.
Read more:
