Gilly McArthur
Published June 1, 2026A Chilly Dip with Coach Gilly McArthur
Helen braves a chilly 11-degree dip in Windermere in the Lake District with renowned Cold Water Swim Coach Gilly McArthur to experience the benefits of cold exposure and blue spaces.
Gilly is part of a world-class team working on an NHS research project with Oxford and Portsmouth Universities, investigating whether cold water & outdoor swimming can help alleviate anxiety and depression.
Gilly explains the compelling science behind how the cold improves our physical and mental wellbeing, what it does to our brains and bodies, and how nature and ice-swimming have helped her through some painful times. You can read more in Gilly’s wonderful book, The Beauty of Cold.