The top New Year's Day swims

We all love a challenge don't we especially if it involves dressing up and doing something silly. If you not able to make one of the many Christmas Day and Boxing Day swims, there are plenty of New Year's Day options. Here are just a few of them - what a great way to blow away the cobwebs and some of the those Christmas excesses!

SOUTH EAST

GAFIRS Lifeboat New Year’s Day Swim at Stokes Bay in Gosport sees thousands of supporters watch brave locals take a (very!) refreshing dip. Registration is open from 11am to 11:45am with the swim at midday.

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EAST OF ENGLAND

Taking place from 10:30am to 12:30pm at Jubilee Beach in Southend on Sea is the New Year's Day dip. Fancy dress is of course encouraged with funds raised going towards the running of Southend RNLI Lifeboat Station.

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SOUTH WEST

The Rotary Lyme Lunge is a fancy dress dip in the waters of Lyme Bay off Sandy Beach, all in the name of charity. Wet suits are allowed albeit beneath those fancy dress outfits! Kick off is at 1pm and there's warm soup for everyone afterwards.

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In Newquay Harbour, you can blow away the cobwebs and do something amazing by joining Dip for Clic. Starting at 1:30pm, it's a nice leisurely start too.

NORTH WEST

The New Year's Day charity swim in Salford Quays includes a swift 100m lap of the Uswim iceberg course or a dip. Starting at 11am there's even a funky hat competition!

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SCOTLAND

Stoats Loony Dook takes place at South Queensferry in Edinburgh. Of course silliness is great for the soul - as is freezing seawater! One of Scotland's finest Hogmanay traditions, dookers will march the length of the High Street as part of the Dooker Parade before heading into the freezing Firth of Forth at 11am. Spectators can cheer the dookers on at various vantage points.

FINAL Stoats Loony Dook HR

The YeAABA New Year's Day Dook takes place at Broughty Ferry near Dundee. Dating back to 1891, the event has never been cancelled whatever the weather. Expect around 300 dookers and some 3,000 spectators with not just swimming on offer but music and dancing. The event starts at 11am with dookers hitting the water at 2pm.

Organised by Helensburgh Lifeboats, the New Year Swim at Rhu Marina, on the north side of the Firth of Clyde, starts at midday with hot soup for those participating afterwards.

WALES

In Abersoch, the RNLI sponsored New Year's Day Dip has a fancy dress theme. This year it's musicals! Make sure you're ready to hit the water at midday. The Saundersfoot New Year's Day Swim (dash and splash!) returns for its 32nd year. Although there is no fancy dress theme, there are of course prizes for the best dressed individual and team. Kick off is at 12:30pm.

ISLE OF MAN

The Peel New Year Dip is supporting Peel Lifeboat, Multiple Sclerosis and the Isle of Man Hyperbaric Chamber this year. Sponsor forms are available from Greens Jewellers with the action kicking off at midday.

CHANNEL ISLANDS

It's a traditional wet welcome in Alderney at the Water Festival. First the Fire Brigade who are in Marais Square from 11am, followed by the first swim of the year at midday in Braye Bay.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Crawfordsburn Beach, Bangor is the place to be on New Year's Day. Enjoy a chilly yet invigorating dip at 11am followed by a hot drink. You get a free Cancer Focus NI t-shirt too. Fancy dress is of course encouraged and there's a prize for the best.

Cancer Focus NI

WIN A ZOGGS VOUCHER WORTH £50!

If you're taking part in a Christmas Day, Boxing Day or New Year's Day swim, make sure you enter the #ZoggsFestiveDip photo competition. All you need to do is share a festive dips photo tagging Zoggs UK on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram with the #ZoggsFestiveDip hashtag. Find out more here.