The thrill of plunging into the water off a rugged stretch of coast or into a remote river is what makes wild swimming such an exhilarating pastime.
But for those who just want to dip their toe into this hobby, the town of Ilkley may be the thing for you. A stretch of the Wharfe in North Yorkshire is the first river bathing site in the country.
And its bathing water status means the Environment Agency will regularly take samples from the river to assess whether action is needed to cut bacteria levels.
The water will be monitored from May next year, said the Department for Environment. And to make the river suitable for swimming, Yorkshire Water said it will reduce sewage overflows caused by storms.
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