About

Glove Dippers outdoor cold-water swimming lake is located in a quiet private field at Glove Factory Studios in Holt Village, Wiltshire. At a length of 100m and a maximum depth of around 2m, it offers a peaceful and safe alternative to rivers and streams, particularly in the winter months.

Membership

Glove Dippers are a lively and friendly bunch of keen wild swimmers. Many have been swimming at the lake since it opened. All are passionate about the many physical and mental health benefits gained from open water swimming.

Applications for the 2023/24 season are open.

Annual membership from 1st September 2023 to 31st August 2024 is £70, and £60 for Holt residents.

Each membership includes up to 5 guest passes per season and every guest must complete a waiver/disclaimer before entering the lake.

How It Works

Glove Dippers is a cold-water outdoor swimming club primarily aimed at winter swimmers. The lake is open to swimmers all year-round. Members complete an application form by following ‘join now’ and submitting their membership payment. On receipt of payment and completed applicaiton, new members are sent an induction pack and welcome email with all the relevant information including details to join a Glove Dippers WhatsApp group to help locate swim buddies. Members who prefer warmer temperatures may be prone to ‘swimmers itch’ (an allergic reaction that does not affect everyone) and might take the precaution of swimming in a wetsuit.

Swimming is unsupervised, and all members are required to be experienced open-water swimmers. Please take a look at Glove Dippers’ Membership and Safety Rules before signing up to see if we are a good fit for you.

Facilities

All members are welcome to park at Glove Factory Studios with parking clearly signposted when you arrive on site. There is a shepherd’s hut in the field near the lake where members may change and choose to use the lockers provided to stow valuables while swimming. Please bring your own padlock and remember to take all items with you to leave the lockers empty. An outdoor cold-water shower is available near the shepherd’s hut and it is recommended to rinse after swimming particularly in the summer months.

The single entry/exit pontoon allows easy access with an entry ladder into the water. We prefer a maximum of 20 swimmers in the lake at any one time. The water is tested monthly and twice a month during the warmer weather. All reports have been rated as ‘Excellent’.

Wild Herb at The Field Kitchen is open Monday to Saturday 9am to 4pm for teas, coffees, cakes or delicious meals - perfect for a post-swim replenish!