Swimming the Seasons

The transformative power of year-round freshwater swimming. Poet and nature writer Polly Atkin invites us to take a dip in the rivers, tarns, and lakes where she swims year-round, finding inspiration and freedom every day. In this intimate, beautiful book, she shares her engagement with the crystal cold water and how this reconnects her body and mind with the natural world. Through luminous, attentive prose, Atkin captures the impact of immersion and the allure of the Lakeland landscapes that surround her. Drawing on her experience of disability, she shows how swimming can open up space for ease, relief and sometimes joy. Whether bracing herself for icy streams or floating on a summer evening, Atkin s reflections remind us to slow down, breathe, and enjoy being fully present. This is a book about resilience, mindfulness and the transformative embrace of wild water.