St Ives Boxing Day Swim 2025: sun, sea, and a big turnout

In bright winter sunshine, hundreds packed Porthminster Beach on 26 December 2025 for the St Ives Boxing Day swim. Despite wind warnings and calls for caution elsewhere, the town’s annual dip went ahead with a big, cheerful turnout.

The 2025 St Ives Boxing Day Swim

St Ives has a habit of turning traditions into proper events. On 26 December 2025, Porthminster Beach filled up again for the annual Boxing Day swim. It is the sort of moment that feels simple and big at the same time. People of all ages. Friends in fancy dress. Families wrapped in towels. A line of spectators on hand with phones, flasks, and spare jumpers.

This year had an extra edge. In the run-up to Christmas, safety warnings across the South West were louder than usual, with a Met Office yellow wind warning and some organised swims cancelled elsewhere. Police and local reports also urged caution. In St Ives, the swim still went ahead in bright sunshine, with a big turnout.

Porthminster Beach sets the scene

If you have never been, the setting does a lot of the work. Porthminster beach curves round the bay, with the railway line and the town rising behind it. On Boxing Day, it becomes a meeting point where hundreds come to swim or watch.

The St Ives Boxing Day dip is known for being open and informal. Wetsuits are welcome, fancy dress is common, and dogs often join in.There's no big grandstand or ticket gate. It is a community moment, with people arriving in small groups and the crowd building quickly.

By late morning you could spot the first timers hovering at the edge with a half-laugh that said, 'I can't believe I'm doing this'. Regulars know the secret is to fully commit and go straight in.

At 12pm the first surge towards the sea began, then more waves followed. Some charged straight in, as if the cold water craze had claimed them. Others briefly immersed themselves and dashed back out, and the beach became a patchwork of towels, robes, and steaming mugs.

The appeal of a cold water dip

Cold water swimming is more popular now, but it is not always straightforward. In late December 2025, safety bodies warned about winter sea risks, including cold water shock and the effects of wind and swell. The RNLI notes that cold water shock can affect breathing and movement, and that water below 15C counts as cold.

Many people in St Ives will have seen those headlines in the run-up, but hundreds still turned out to enjoy the day.

For some, the Boxing Day swim is tradition. For others, it is a reset after Christmas Day. Either way, it is a shared experience you do not forget.

There is also interest in cold water for wellbeing. Evidence is still developing, but some swimmers report benefits for mood and stress. A BMJ case report described sustained mood improvement for one person as part of a structured cold water swimming programme. Other research and participant reports often point to the mix of challenge and community: showing up, doing something hard, then warming up together.

A winter moment that sums up St Ives

The best thing about the St Ives Boxing Day swim is not the time you spend in the water. It is everything around it. The crowd on the sand. The mix of locals and visitors. The shared nerves and the shared laugh when you come back out, breathing hard and grinning.

On 26 December 2025, it also showed something else. Even with safety warnings in the background, people still wanted community and tradition, and many chose to take part in a way that matched the conditions. Bright skies, a cold sea, and a beach full of people doing something memorable together.