12 swims of 2014?

Last summer, I got into open water swimming in a big way, and thought that it would be a good idea to invest in a wetsuit so I could do more swimming into the cooler months of the year. And then promptly did nothing about it. And then on boxing day of 2013, it was a bright sunny day, and I was filled with a compulsion to find some water to swim in. We headed off in the car to Little Somerford, near Malmesbury, and I flung myself in a river. It was FREEZING, and I barely lasted a few seconds in there but afterwards I felt amazing, shivery and wholeheartedly alive.

On our return home to see friends relatives who had remained warm and dry at home all morning, I was greeted with exclamations of "She is MAD." and "What did you do THAT for?". But one comment planted a seed. I overheard one friend say to another "She should raise money for charity doing that!". My brain was ticking all the way home about how I could do just that. By the evening, I was set. The idea for the challenge was that I would attempt to do at least one swim each month of 2014, in open water. The only other stipulation was that it should be in a different county of the UK each time. Water Aid seemed like the natural beneficiary of my efforts. So, here we go! I will document each of the swims here, maybe tell you a little about the work of Water Aid and why I chose to support it. And if you feel compelled to sponsor me, then that it very much appreciated of course!