It’s a Wednesday morning in the middle of a grey, rainy summer and I’m just about to jump headfirst into a lake. I’m midway through my stay at Wilderness Reserve – a rural retreat in the heart of Suffolk – and first up on today’s agenda is a dose of wild swimming.

One after another, I watch as my fellow guests run along the jetty in front of us and plunge into the water below. Then, it’s my turn. I take a deep breath, break into a jog and take a leap.

The idea of wild swimming has always intrigued me, but I’ve never had the opportunity to give it a go. Sea swims aside, I’ve just never been in the vicinity of a lake, river or wild pool that is clean or accessible enough for me to jump in. However, the cold temperature and depth of an unfamiliar lake has also made me feel a little hesitant. But when I was given the opportunity to take a dip in Wilderness Reserve’s very own wild swimming lake, I decided to give it a chance.

Why you feel so uplifted and ‘buzzy’ after wild swimming – and 3 ways to chase the high without access to a lake