TAKE THE PLUNGE
Dr Abi Lafbery reports on the rise in popularity of outdoor swimming and the emergence of a number of Contrast Therapy Destinations across Yorkshire.
On 14th of October 1859, Charles Darwin wrote a letter to his son describing his hydrotherapy at Ilkley’s White Wells Bath House.
‘The House is at the foot of a rocky, turfy rather steep half-mountain. It would be nice with fine weather; but now looks dismal. There are nice excursions & fine walks for those that can walk. The Water Cure has done me much good…’
167 years later, White Wells Spring opens each New Years Day for people to ‘take to the waters’ and pay homage to Ilkley’s spa town heritage. Nestled in a sea of bracken and heather and overlooking the Wharfedale valley and Yorkshire Dales, the little white cottage looks like something out of a fairytale. Indeed, there are rumours that fairies have bathed here too; at dawn on Midsummer’s Night of 1820.
Entering the threshold feels like stepping back in time; the stone walls are milky white with moss running delicately along its edges. The spring water is earthy, smelling of petrichor, and is described in early Victorian advertisements as ‘vitalising…refreshing…delightful.. it gives lustre and brilliancy to the eyes and grace to the skin.’
But it’s not just in Ilkley where the rhetoric for cold water bathing is enjoying a huge renaissance and across the UK outdoor swimming has boomed, and there is a renewed interest in Hydrotherapy, specifically Contrast Therapy. Contrast Therapy combines saunas with ice baths or cold plunges. Whilst these facilities were once reserved for athletes and locker rooms, they are now part of mainstream wellness culture, manifest in little wooden tubs and tin baths popping up in back gardens, boutique wellness studios and city docks.
Historically, cold water bathing in nature was described as a refreshing counterweight to the effects of the urban industrial revolution. Romantic poets in the Lake District dipped to feel a sense of authenticity, humanity and connection in an increasingly industrialised society.
Outdoor swimming’s recent popularity is a modern incarnation of this sentiment and there is a strong belief that cold water bathing can help people to feel embodied, grounded and alive in increasingly sedentary and digital lifestyles.
While it’s important to be aware of the risks of cold water swimming, including drowning and hypothermia, the science suggests it can offer a range of health benefits. Physically, it may help with heart, lung, and muscle conditions, boost the immune system, ease chronic pain, and support recovery from illness. Mentally, outdoor swimming can lift the mood and support mental health, while socially, it provides the chance to connect with other people, which may explain why wellness clubs are increasingly seen as social alternatives to pubs.
The rise in popularity has been met with the opening of several Yorkshire locations offering Contrast Therapy and below are some of our favourite spots to take the plunge.
FIVE OF THE BEST
POOL BRIDGE FARM
Ten minutes from York City Centre, Pool Bridge Farm boasts four lakes and five wood-fired saunas. Monet Lake is designed for tranquillity where you can swim amongst flowering lilies, whilst Horseshoe Lake provides a 300m swimming circuit.
NOMAD’S WELLNESS CLUB
Nomad’s Wellness Club, located in Otley, offers a range of wellness activities including Reformer Pilates, Strength and Kettlebell classes, alongside their contrast therapy suite. This space, which opened in early 2026, offers three varied temperature ice baths, a traditional Finnish sauna, an infrared sauna and a cold waterfall bucket.
LÖYLY & JÄÄ SAUNA- DRAUGHTON HEIGHTS CAMPSITE
The Löyly & Jää Sauna at Draughton Heights Campsite located in the hills above Skipton is a Finnish phrase signifying steam and ice. The wood-fired sauna, lovingly transformed from a humble horsebox, sits beside a natural cold water dipping lake, with a pine forest behind.
DENTON RESERVE
For the ultimate recharge and to truly immerse yourself in nature, Denton Reserve, on the outskirts of Ilkley offers a serene, natural dip within a 2,500-acre private setting. Guests can experience wild swimming in the lower lake, often paired with a sauna session during a stay in a woodland cabin.
IGLU SAUNA
iglu Sauna, featured on BBC Breakfast and The Times, offers Nordic-style wood-fired saunas, cold plunge pools and a fire pit set in the hills of Hebden Bridge. Overlooking lovely countryside, iglu host three different kinds of experiences, a classic sauna and cold plunge session, a silent session for those hoping for a meditative feel, and a spa session with salt and mud.
