I wade through thick mud, startling unseen fish and turning the loch water the amber of whisky. The October cold seeps in slowly from the feet up until, waist deep, I take the plunge and join the fleet of coloured swim caps and woolly hats moving through the water ahead. Whoops and cheers follow in my wake as others, too, push off and feel the icy shock of immersion.

As I swim out into the dark ribbon of water, I take a duck’s eye view of my surroundings. The early morning rays highlight zig-zags of pine trees on far side of the loch, raptors circle on thermals above, and a rainbow momentarily paints far-away clouds. It doesn’t seem long before the call comes to ‘get out wanting more’ and, reluctantly, we swim back to the shore to wriggle into dry clothes.

I’m taking part in a four-night wild swimming and writing retreat in Scotland facilitated by Founder of Travel Matters Karen Simmonds, and actor, writer and Channel swimmer Doon Mackichan. Our base is Stucktaymore, a grand Edwardian lodge set in gardens and woodland overlooking Loch Tay. The idea is that invigorating daily cold-water dips in the loch will help to concentrate the mind and encourage creative writing.

In total, there are 17 women on the retreat, with differing experiences of swimming and diverse writing ambitions. Rosanna Machado is an event producer with her own blog, who overcame a fear of putting her head under water to participate in a 22-mile relay swim across the English Channel. Barbara Jennings, another accomplished swimmer, is seeking post-retirement inspiration for a novel. And Julie Tucker-williams, a bespoke jeweller and regular sea swimmer is interested in writing about how we ‘curate the dead’ as we sort through loved ones’ possessions after their departure.

Life soon falls into an easy rhythm. Each morning we gather at 07.45am for the half-mile round-trip walk across fields of grazing sheep for our first dip of the day. Then, back at the lodge, there’s time for a quick warm-up in the hot tub, and a shower, before we gather around pine tables in the breakfast room to eat. Satiated, we then each find a cosy corner of the lodge in which to sit quietly and write, using paper and pen (no phones or laptops needed here).

During the three days, we’re encouraged to work on our own projects but Doon provides us with some simple ideas in case we’re lacking inspiration. One is simply to use the title ‘Should’; another is to build on the sentence ‘It was a wooden door, with yellow glass panels inset’. After two hours of creative labours, punctuated by a quick coffee break, we get together to share what we have written about and our experiences of doing so. Doon provides feedback, helpful direction for anyone who needs it and a lot of laughs.

In the afternoons, we’re free to do as we choose. Possible activities include bagging a munro or two in the Ben Lawers range; visiting the famous Falls of Dochart in nearby Killin and having a wee dram in the Falls of Dochart Inn; joining a birdwatching hike; or simply wandering the grounds at the lodge, stopping to sample a fresh apple or pear from the laden fruit trees in the orchard. And for those who are seduced by the rejuvenating effects of cold water, there’s always the chance for a second swim in the loch.

In the evenings, we get together for a drink by the fire in the snug before sitting down at a huge rectangular table in the dining room for a candlelit feast catered for by former Scottish Chef of the Year Kevin MacGillivray of Velvet Cuisine. It’s a time for swapping tales about the day, forging new friendships, and on one occasion, helping a disoriented bat to flee the dining room into the starry Scottish night.

The regular swims, the beautiful scenery, the sumptuous surroundings of Stucktaymore and the luxury of spending two hours a day simply thinking and writing creates a very special atmosphere in which we all readily connect. On our final day, this spirit of sharing comes to the fore as Doon invites us all to read something that we’ve produced during the writing sessions. We settle on sofas in the snug and listen as those who want to read aloud their work.

Barbara starts off the proceedings with a lively extract from a novel about a witch and her cat that she’s been able to make headway with during the retreat. Rosanna reads a moving poem about her late Mum, prompting tears around the room. And Julie recites a narrative in which she envisages threads connecting us with the possessions we inherit – which can be left attached or knotted and cut to cast off what we have no need for.

I decide to share a piece inspired by my first dip in the loch. The experience had, surprisingly, taken me on a journey in my mind back to when people had first settled around the loch at the close of the last ice age – helping me understand that cold-water swimming is engrained in us through the activities of our forebears. I take a deep breath, then begin to read. As if buoyed by the deep, cool water of the loch itself, the words flow readily off the page and into the room.

(By Carolyn Fry; author and journalist specialising in science, conservation, natural history and adventure travel. Carolyn attended Travel Matter’s Wild Swimming & Writing Retreat in Scotland between 29th September to 3rd October 2022)

Cool water makes the creative juices flow!