Tenby Boxing Day Swim

Tenby has been doing this for the better part of a century, which makes it one of the oldest events of its kind in Britain. On Boxing Day morning the harbour fills with people in Santa suits, superhero costumes, tinsel and not much else, and on the countdown they all run into the sea.

Where it happens. The harbour beach, at the North Beach end, with the medieval town stacked up behind and Castle Hill on one side. It is a photogenic setting for something so undignified.

Where to watch. The harbour wall and the path up Castle Hill give you height and the whole scene. The beach itself gives you the noise. Both are packed, so arrive well before the start rather than at it.

If you are swimming. Wetsuits are allowed and plenty of people wear them; plenty do not. Water temperature will be around 9°C, which takes your breath out in the first few seconds. Walk in rather than dive, do not swim out, and get straight into dry clothes afterwards — the danger is not the swim, it is the twenty minutes after it. Changing robe, hat, gloves, hot drink, dry shoes.

The honest bit. Boxing Day parking in Tenby is grim and the walk in from the outer car parks is long. Most cafes and pubs open afterwards but not all, and the queue for anything hot is substantial. It is a five-minute event surrounded by two hours of logistics, and everyone who goes does it again the next year anyway.

Check locally for the start time.