Packing for a Wild Swim Adventure: The Overthinker’s Checklist – Wild Swimming Scotland

So, I’m off on a wild swimming adventure. I’m excited. Really excited. So excited that I’ve now checked the weather about twelve times… and yes, I know it’s Scotland, so it’ll probably change twelve more times before I even zip my bag shut.

Packing is now a full-body sport.

I’ve laid everything out neatly, then messily, then back again. I’ve asked myself vital questions like: Do I have the list? (Answer: let me check my Whatsapp Message and email (same list sent twice) to make 100% sure – and then the chat to double double check)

Now back to the mound of clothes on the bed. Eek did I say I was excited?

I’ve stared long and hard at a swimsuit wondering: Is this one too bold? Could this be my second spare? If no one’s around, is it still obscene?

Welcome to the internal monologue of a wild swimmer preparing for a swim adventure, whether it be a day trip, weekend or more..

Let’s walk through the essentials (and a few non-essentials that somehow made it in anyway):

The List (aka My Lifeline)

Swimming attire – Costumes x 3 (two for the two planned swims each day, and one “just in case I feel like changing personalities mid-trip or we get the option of a sneaky third”).
Wetsuit/gloves/booties – Weather says 14°C water. That’s either brisk or refreshing depending on how optimistic I’m feeling when I read it.
Towels – Two seemed sensible. Three might be excessive. Four is what I packed.
Water shoes – Bound to be rocky patches. Packed. I’m not ready to re-enact Die Hard on the Lochside.
Tow float – Yes. Safety first. And also handy for lying back and looking at the clouds mid-swim (I’m not saying I’ve done this… but I’m not saying I haven’t).
Swim caps – The silicone one for speed (ha!) and my floral number because, well, flair.
Goggles – Packed. And an extra pair, because swimming without is not a vibe.
Hot drink + mug – Vital. I’ve got my trusty battered enamel mug ready to be filled with tea to warm the hands, the core and the spirit post swim.
Warm, dry clothes (3 layers) – Including my easy to pull on t – shirt & fleece, well worn warm trousers waterproof jacket, woolly hat, and fluffy socks that look like they belong to a kindly 84-year-old librarian. Bliss.
Antihistamine & scrappy card – Just in case jellyfish decide to make it personal.
Snacks / lunch– I panicked and packed fruit, cheese rolls and cake. If I drop out of a swim, it’s probably because I’m mid-scone.
Sunglasses – For that brief but glorious 15-minute moment when the sun might appear.
Midge spray – Because I like to return home without itching and if the wind hides the midges may come out to play
Sun cream (Environmentally friendly) – Hopeful? Delusional? Perhaps both.
Travel info – Double-checked the time and location. Triple-checked the WhatsApp chat. Rechecked again just in case someone moved the meeting point while I was blinking.

All this has somehow made it into my bag, which now resembles something you’d use to flee the country, not just spending time swimming with new friends.

I had to sit on it to zip it shut.

I’ve asked myself, Am I overpacking? almost as many times as I’ve re-read that WhatsApp thread (which, to my relief, is mostly just people being excited and wondering if anyone else is bringing flapjacks).

Oh—and someone spotted minkes in the area recently. I’m packing my binoculars too. Because the only thing better than swimming in Scotland is casually saying, “Yes, we saw whales” over Monday’s coffee.

I cannot wait to meet my fellow wild swim tribers. We’ll get to know each other’s names, and equally we’ll know each other by our bobble hats, our snacks, and our shrieks as we shuffle into the water.

See you at the loch, towel in hand, cake for after..

Have I forgotten anything? …Oh heck, better go check the list