I had the pleasure of a mini road trip to King Edwards Bay beach, Tynemouth for @dipclubofficial x @deepnorthuk Dunk N’ Doughnuts dip.
In a world of the 24-hour news cycle, where doom and gloom are the order of the day, it was a delight to arrive at the beach where all I could see was a mass of smiles and giggles with a good helping of shrieks of joy, especially when we were all in the water.
The Dip Club is now one year old. It was started by Meg and Katie who were looking for a natural high, away from alcohol. They quickly found that their open water sea dipping community grew and it’s been a great source of comfort to people in the area who find comfort and support within the group.
With open water swimming there is no one set mould. There, gathered at the beach, were bodies of all shapes, sizes, ages and lived experiences. This congregation was there to share the same passion, the sheer thrill of the sea and everyone was welcome.
Where is King Edwards Bay?
///cliff.intent.groups
King Edwards Bay is on the east coast, 21 miles from Newcastle city centre. The Coast Road is a convenient straight road to your dip. The name of the bay comes from Edward I. Think of Braveheart… that King. It is believed that Tynemouth was one of the strongest fortresses’ on the Anglo-Scottish border which would make sense why King Edward I stayed there while he meddled in who would be the next Scottish King in the 1290s.
But let’s get back to the dipping…I think the picture says it all, don’t you?
How much does it cost and what are the facilities like?
Travelling from Cumbria, the trip cost a tad more for me than those in the local area. For those in the area, you are likely to have to pay for parking along the Sea Banks road. Car parks around the bay are around £2.40 for 2 hours. Alternatively, at Priors Haven there is free parking plus a 14-minute walk to the bay.
The Dip Club dip several times throughout the month. I went on their monthly Sunday partnership with Deep North. Deep North is an artisan doughnut coffee shop that most swimmers navigate to post-swim. You can pre-order your doughnut and coffee for £5.50 to save queuing out the door. The queue is worth it as the doughnut selection is mouth-watering.
I wish that I lived closer to Tynemouth so I could enjoy the Dip Club community more. I strongly recommend anyone making a trip if you are in the area, as the smiles and good vibes kept me going for a good 24 hours. A dose of vitamin Sea is always a good tonic!
For more inspiration for your next swim check out our location blog posts.
