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Jules and Gregs Wild Swim - Season 3 - Episode 03
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00:00This time we're exploring new Scottish waters.
00:03We have been west, we've been north, we've been east.
00:06So it's only polite that we go south.
00:10We're going swimming and beyond.
00:14To discover new pastimes, people, and places.
00:21This is like apocalypse now, but with women.
00:23As we make our way across the Scottish borders through Dumfries and Galloway
00:27and all the way to Scotland's southernmost tip.
00:30This is Scotland's forgotten corner, but not for us because we're here.
00:34We're putting the world to rights while getting very wet.
00:37Have we got down? We'll get down together.
00:39And very, very cold.
00:41I'm alive!
00:43As the temperature drops.
00:45You feel quite dizzy when it's that cold.
00:47On our eternal October swim venture.
00:50I was effervescent. I was swimming in cold champagne.
00:54It's going to be epic.
00:55Yes, team!
01:08Hempy!
01:09Yes?
01:10Look at this beautiful day.
01:12Sunshine!
01:13For today's excursion exertions, we're continuing west towards Dumfries and Galloway.
01:18But first, we're back here by the majestic River Tweed.
01:23I'm Tweed Daft. I'm not ready to let the Tweed go yet.
01:28We had to come back here, Greg, as we're attending a brand new event.
01:33We're going to be going to the first Wild Swim Harvest Festival.
01:39Do you love a festival?
01:40It's not just any Deb Jules. It's a night time, Deb.
01:42I know.
01:43Name some bands that would play at a swim festival.
01:47Oasis would be at a swim festival.
01:49Wet, wet, wet.
01:49Wet, wet, wet.
01:50Beach Boys.
01:50Oh, of course.
01:51The Water Boys.
01:52Crushing it.
01:53I can't think of one.
01:55Flow rinse and the machine.
02:00There we go.
02:01The Royal Borough of Peebles.
02:03Please drive carefully.
02:05Drive them.
02:05Do you like it?
02:05It's a shame Bonnie's not with us.
02:07Bonnie's quite posh, so Bonnie would have enjoyed the Royal Borough.
02:10She's had to go back for a wee rest.
02:12It's becoming more and more of a commute for folk from Edinburgh.
02:15It's got a long history of hydrotherapy, you know.
02:18The Victorians used to come here.
02:20I'm hydro-daft for meeting a group of, let's be honest,
02:24probably mostly ladies at the Borough Hall.
02:27Hmm.
02:28Peebles hasn't always been so accommodating of large groups of women, though.
02:31In 1629, it was a Christmas Eve nightmare
02:36where loads of local women were tried for witchcraft and killed.
02:41Christmas Eve?
02:41That's a movie waiting to happen,
02:44and by the way, I'd better be in it.
02:50You'd make a good witch.
02:53Because of my nose.
02:54I've got a witch's nose.
02:55No, no, no, no, see, easy.
02:55That's what you were saying.
02:56Right away.
02:57Listen.
02:58Hey, listen.
02:58Listen.
02:59I've seen Wicked.
03:00The witches in Wicked are beautiful.
03:02I would love to be a witch.
03:04Love to play a witch.
03:06Well, today's not the day, Jules,
03:08because you'll be playing the role of swim-mad lady off the telly.
03:11It comes naturally.
03:13Ah-ha-ha!
03:15Look at that parking.
03:17Yes!
03:19Look at that parking.
03:20I did see that.
03:21Look at it.
03:21Let's go.
03:22No, that's the pub.
03:23That's the pub.
03:24It's this way.
03:24It's this way.
03:25Time to meet today's coven.
03:26Who's in charge?
03:27We're looking for Linda.
03:29Oh, this looks nice.
03:31Borough Hall.
03:33Yes.
03:34Hi.
03:35Nice to see you.
03:35You're Linda.
03:36Hi, Linda.
03:37I'm completely hyper.
03:39I'm so excited.
03:40I've been hyper for the last two weeks, I think.
03:42Oh, my goodness.
03:43Is this the first wild swim festival?
03:45It is.
03:46We're doing lots of work to try and promote the borders and wild swimming,
03:49and so we thought we'd try and get a festival going.
03:51A little baby one to start off with.
03:53We've chosen a harvest festival.
03:54It's a wee bit unique, a wee bit different.
03:55I can't wait.
03:56Grab a cup of tea and coffee, and there's some lovely, I think it's apple cake.
03:59Oh, yeah.
04:00You don't have to ask us twice.
04:02Hi.
04:03Hiya.
04:03How you doing?
04:05So there's a bit of a gang vibe going on here for the events over the whole weekend.
04:10How many swims is there going to be?
04:13Five.
04:13So I think we're just in the one tonight.
04:16Before the swim, there's loads of fun stuff to do.
04:19Inaugural Harvest Wild Swim Festival.
04:21We've got Wicker Man headgear.
04:23We've got bottles to get.
04:24We're going to do face paint.
04:25I know.
04:26It's major.
04:26And we're at it.
04:27We better get busy doing our...
04:28You're at it.
04:29You're at it?
04:30You're at it.
04:31Come on.
04:32First, we're making a light bottle, so we can be seen at night.
04:35We're in for a penny, in for a pound here.
04:39Right.
04:40Time for some glow-in-the-dark make-up, too.
04:43How easy is it to get off?
04:44They're easy to clean and use, and no damage to the skin.
04:47Very vague, those.
04:48Yeah.
04:48Could be six months, could be...
04:50It could be.
04:51Good luck.
04:53Listen, as actors, we're very good at make-up.
04:56How's that?
04:57I would put more on.
04:58That's far too subtle.
04:59Oh, that's much better.
05:00I feel more woodland now.
05:02Do you want me to do a wee nose on you?
05:04Aw.
05:06Yeah, that's better.
05:07Much better.
05:08I fancy myself like this.
05:10I think this is the new me.
05:11It's sort of...
05:12Kelpie of the water that's lost her mind.
05:17And finally, we're ready for the main event.
05:20It's going to be great.
05:22Look at the guy.
05:23Woo!
05:24That looks amazing.
05:26That looks so good.
05:30The swim is at the Ducats, underneath Path Castle, a short walk away.
05:35People have been swimming here since the 1930s.
05:38This is going to be great.
05:40Do you know loads of people in this group?
05:42No.
05:42No, this is us all coming together.
05:44All around the boulders, all around the boulders.
05:46Yes.
05:46How lovely.
05:46Yes.
05:47I do it more for my mental health and everything.
05:49Oh, great.
05:50Anxiety, all that kind of stuff.
05:51You get out with other people.
05:53And you have a good laugh.
05:54Yes.
05:54Somehow, I find myself cast as the token male yet again.
05:58I thought there were some guys coming.
06:00Yeah, I thought there were some guys coming as well.
06:02I promised him chips on the way home.
06:04He'll be fine.
06:05Chips.
06:06Ah, I think he's found some men.
06:08Hey, fellas and lasses, how are you?
06:11Very well.
06:12You're so?
06:12Don't take this the wrong way, but we hope we don't need you.
06:15All right, that's the rescue guys.
06:17Did you always come and look after them?
06:19We'll try our best.
06:20I feel extra safe now.
06:21It's magic.
06:21I think we're fine.
06:22I know.
06:23Linda's all for us.
06:24Oh, she's great, isn't she?
06:26As well as having these guys on hand, Linda's making sure we're all safe in the water.
06:31The entry is nice and gentle, and you'll get the foster current where it's a little bit deeper,
06:36and then it goes shallow again.
06:38And remember to go in nice and gently and acclimatised.
06:40Oh, love!
06:41Don't forget to love!
06:42And it's super organised.
06:45Before you go in, guys, could you come across and let me know your name so I can just take
06:48it in?
06:49We're very brightly lit, and we've also been paired with a buddy.
06:52I wonder who mine is.
06:54Hi there, it's Jules and Greg.
06:55Yep.
06:56How is you?
06:58Is that a set?
06:59That's your set.
06:59On you go.
07:00Enjoy your swim.
07:02Night swimming is definitely not something to do alone.
07:05It's daunting, despite all the precautions here.
07:07Now that I'm in the water, I'm feeling a bit of fear and trepidation,
07:10but then I look at these women and how much fun they're having, and I'm like,
07:13I'm the biggest square in the land.
07:16Once I get there, there'll be another thing.
07:19Ah!
07:20Breathe, breathe, breathe.
07:22Remember what I'm taught.
07:23I can't do it yet.
07:24I can't.
07:26Together.
07:26Three, two, one.
07:40The current in the river is like an amusement park ride.
07:43A broken tragedy.
07:45Woo-hoo!
07:45Yes, I mean!
07:48Woo-hoo!
07:48Coming through!
07:50You can't love that one.
07:52Woo-hoo!
07:54This is like Apocalypse Now, but with women.
07:57Woo-hoo!
07:57It's like Apocalypse Now, but with women.
07:57Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha
08:04-ha-ha!
08:13It's like somebody's thrown ten fruit machines into the river.
08:18it's so good do you want to go there and go back down yeah let's go get it it's like
08:22getting a shot
08:23on a slide you want another go don't you oh it's so great isn't it why do you do the
08:29dipping
08:30um because i'm holding a proper mess yeah either this or nothing i'm gonna bother shaving
08:57well done that was incredible it was really funny i feel a bit drunk you just be like
09:03trying to go down and then you just turn around there's somebody going by wouldn't you just
09:06somebody's a heat floating past you're floating through floating through they're just fantastic
09:10they're all having such a laugh yeah and everyone's different shapes and sizes and ages and nobody
09:15cares but we need to get more guys here don't we gag for the next time i'm gonna recruit a
09:20couple of guys
09:22what a brilliant thing to be part of i'm so happy how you that was a right laugh and if
09:28that wasn't
09:28enough there's a hot chocolate waiting for us and all that was magical theatrical dramatic
09:34there's still two hardy lasses in the water i know they're absolute gangsters here badass central
09:40they're still listen to them laughing and we're here for the first one how good is that but guess
09:45what what's that the excitement's not over because you don't know where you're staying tonight more
09:48excitement more excitement you into it yeah i'm into it
09:55check this out hempmeister a short drive west near moffat tonight's accommodation
10:01a french romany caravan or a roulotte if you will wow it's amazing although i can barely see it in
10:11the dark let's get a fire going jules jules oh enjoying the hot bath are you i got the campfire
10:23blazing okay doll i'm just taking off the rest of this makeup i'll bear it in a minute
10:33maybe five minutes
10:44oh hempy what a setup huh look up look up
10:50hold on my fault oh my gosh isn't that beautiful
10:56fire gaze and like looking in that they say it's so good for you they do that in yoga
11:00you could lose yourself in that fire and all the noises and stuff and it just
11:04does something to sort of calm you down doesn't it what makes me reset when i'm sitting by a campfire
11:09is it's the same as being in the water it's a moment of the calming of my hyperactive mind
11:15you have a chance to contemplate sometimes you just think oh that's just the way i am any little acorn
11:22of
11:22worry i can grow it into an oak tree within minutes but actually it's you don't have to be like
11:29that
11:29see you cover that up because i always think that you're the more laid-backed one and you're
11:33just like not bothered about stuff but then i see your eyes going like that
11:38and i'm like he's away worrying i'm the worst worrier and he needs to stop but it's like the
11:43breathing for the swimming you know that you need to just calm down and breathe and catch yourself
11:48and go i'm going to be all right you've got to really be strict with yourself
11:52the women that we're meeting on this trip are doing things differently aren't they and all the
11:56laughter and the giggling do you know that uh what's that greek play is it the bacchae
12:01where your man dresses up as a woman and goes to see what they're doing and they're having this
12:04wonderful party is this you i felt a little like that today without them murdering me because i think
12:09in the play the guy gets murdered and it wasn't until i got to the water that it all suddenly
12:13all
12:14the sort of pennies started dropping and it all made sense to me i thought they're all here for laughter
12:18i love that you're you're picking out the fact that they're laughing and stuff you need to try and
12:22do the guy thing more i kind of don't want to leave this fire but i know we've got to
12:27did you finish your drink ah yes nearly cheers cheers
12:35that's nice isn't it
12:45how do you like your eggs in the morning how nice is this place how nice is it that looks
12:52lovely
12:52look i'm actually starving i've never done being hungry i mean this is my ideal sort of holiday
12:59destination this is like a doll's house where's the waiter with the eggs oh thank you we arrived in
13:08the dark and i'm seeing this place for the first time even our building this roulette look at it
13:12everything about it is beyond cute i kind of feel like this is kind of french or something here i
13:17don't
13:17know what it is about it maybe it's because it's not raining so it doesn't feel like scotland have you
13:21noticed there's no medges here one just flew by there not imagine it in the woods i know listen
13:26i can't beat it right we'll need to pack up but i'm okay we're coming back here oh we're definitely
13:33coming back here if we remember our anniversary next year we can book this ahead hey jules do you
13:40we could tow this away with us it's frowned upon come on greg to dumfries
13:49we just drove over that and it said the river is it i'm just checking me the river net it
13:54looks
13:55beautiful there's loads of swimming communities here because they're they can tap into so many bodies
14:01of water we're going to be swimming today at a marina right with the oldest swimming group that
14:11we've ever had when did they set up i think it was like 1986 really
14:19we're meeting the improbably titled dixie's chicks who are veterans of the wild swimming scene
14:25but they've actually as a community built a shed to have their tea in what we're looking at maybe
14:31is the future of wild swimming they've evolved and they're further down the line we're all cutting
14:35about with dry robes and changing them and they've got a shed i know i look forward to seeing it
14:40i'm
14:40building this up it better be good our route takes us southwest through the town of dumfries
14:48look at us now the big market town dumfries and it's full of robert the bruce pubs there's a story
14:55about robert the bruce murdering somebody and sort of losing a lot of support because of it but
15:01he didn't lose that much because the pubs are everywhere because of them that's true were you
15:05taught that at school we kind of learned more about english history right 1066 and all that i think
15:10we learned a lot about it when braveheart came out right action-packed stirring and historically
15:17accurate i know it was a great watch for the boys though we're true empty nesters now even our dog's
15:24not with us never mind our kids i'm really missing chevy so there's just phone me anytime you're missing me
15:30you miss him until he comes home and says the dreaded words what's for dinner people still don't talk
15:36about emptiness and enough because because it's painful it's like why nobody tells you about
15:41childbirth i equate it with being made unemployed for the last 20 years feed them educate them
15:46clothe them and then they go like that see ya off they go it's the quiet that is the thing
15:51that's hard
15:51to get used to you'll sit quiet sometimes and i'm like geese your chat and you're like geese your chat
15:56and if you don't i'm going to divorce you but you can understand how folk get the kids up and
16:02away and
16:02then go nap yeah they look to their partner and they go i wouldn't want to spend the final stage
16:07of my life with you look at the sun sun's coming out from the marina greg beautiful i can feel
16:20us
16:20drawing closer to the water i'm like a diviner i can't wait to get in there here we are cross
16:26michael
16:26marina on a wide stretch of the river d oh i can see the water it is yes okay i
16:33can see the marina
16:34it's too cute it is i can see the shed i can see the shed wow jules look at that
16:47i can't wait i'm
16:48boiling let's get our stars you seriously are the longest going group that we've ever had yeah
17:04that's a nice way of saying we're old and jerry's our oldest swimmer at 89 you look amazing yes yes
17:12well do you swim most days uh well twice a week twice a week makes me feel good for you
17:19can i ask
17:19you about the oranges and the name is because you're dixie dixie where's dixie dixie's hiding
17:24come on in dixie dixie here owns and runs the marina and lets the group swim i love you
17:30darling i'm great i'm jules how you doing so dixie is this your checks are the checks in the water
17:35the dixie's ducks dixie's ducks i see and have the checks never tempted you in to swim yourself
17:42and i go in in the summer if it's hot i bet you're jealous of dixie's top aren't you you
17:46love it
17:47like that he's a fantastic beast well i've got some more do you want if i want i've got some
17:50in the van
17:54a wee bit of merch sales there nothing wrong with that nothing wrong with that is this the famous shed
17:59is
17:59for tea is that where you have your snacks yeah it's wonderful oh have you got name tags oh how
18:06gorgeous is that never has a wild swimming change been so dignified and comfortable
18:15leading the group is triathlon enthusiast jim and he's got a special acclimatization technique
18:23what a rascal where are we swimming to the second boy out there nemo splashy
18:34is it like people go at their own pace or do certain things like the boy yeah there's no judgment
18:40in
18:40these things it charges you it's like an electric currency through your body yeah it just builds you
18:47up for the day jim's a local hero praising thousands for charitable causes how much are you
18:53so far kim no idea then one big thank you that i'm doing at the moment it will just have
18:58over 12 000
18:59pounds for this year wonderful you know it's a hospital decrease if we don't look after nobody
19:03you'll look after that after a quick lap of the boy it's baltic this is hardcore our minds turn to
19:13more
19:13pressing matters rivers run and rivers flow come on gang i want to see these shiny guys
19:23and given the october temperatures we're not staying in too long
19:28that was a particularly effervescent swim it was fantastic that's what i felt as if i was
19:35swimming in cold champagne i said i got an urge to giggle about a great bunch of people
19:41i think we're most seeing you feel quite dizzy when it's that cold how'd you feel great fantastic
19:46it's like taking hope
19:49it really does
19:5289 jenny it's like look at her it was so fun out there as well
19:55boss and everyone you've got to go right round the boy and all that magic
20:02that's just like restaurant level what's going on here
20:08it's been spoiled today the minute you see a bit of tupperware you know even upper level i see
20:14different courses and my starter's going to be one of these cheese and spring onion muffins
20:19did he give us a little bit of advice about about swimming into your 80s i don't really think about
20:25how old i am i like doing it so will you keep swimming yes hopefully
20:31none of this would happen without jim he really looks after us
20:36you don't feel intimidated by all the women jim neither do you though do you
20:43this is a an album of the d-dip this coming year we're 40th year of doing it
20:48so you look like the tartan army i think last year we had over 80 people in the water one
20:53of the
20:53days that we had really quite thick ice oh my god you weren't joining jc what you want to do
21:01is
21:01to go in and enjoy it and every time i go in and it just generates life and for me
21:06that's what it's
21:07about and i think that's the same for everybody else i can't thank you enough for being so welcoming
21:12lovely to get a sense of your group's history now we're part of that history joe's part of it
21:18it must be so lovely
21:22that's one way to get to the children
21:27were you in the sas by any chance
21:38oh boy oh boy i tell you i don't think i'm going to eat again for about two days
21:41no i'm going to miss those people they were great they were eccentric they were born to swim
21:47that was such great chat
21:52so where are we off to basically we're going to be tubing but you should probably say tubing
21:56tubing in in the uk when it's get gear involved wetsuits helmets boots i'm not at no i hear you
22:05i know
22:06that you're nervous about it but let me just say this to you right sometimes you got to go find
22:11the
22:11river and other times the river comes and finds you what are you talking about i don't know but it
22:15sounds badass
22:20think of the tube as the vehicle that's taking you to the swimming spot the tubing is on the way
22:26to a
22:26secluded secret swim spot hammond
22:31how bonnie's it around here beautiful scotland's brilliant isn't it it is brilliant you could do this
22:36for another 10 years and keep going to all the places that have been forgotten
22:40we're meeting tube master mike and the grounds of the stunning drumland rick castle
22:46excited i'm excited now i'm excited to go tubing i'm gonna say something to you
22:52sometimes you gotta go find the river and other times the river finds you is this from a movie
22:59should be though shouldn't it i don't know what you're talking about
23:09hi this is mike mike's hiding oh he's throwing me
23:15having a sneaky bite around the corner so what are we doing today we're going white water tubing today
23:20we're going to end up in a nice spot at the bottom there we can take a swim this is
23:23quite an exclusive
23:24spot we're going to not many people would have seen the spots you guys are going to go and see
23:27today oh that's cool we've recently had high water come through uh so things are a little bit colder
23:31than usual levels are starting to drop now so they're at a nice bouncy fun level today
23:35i like that bouncy fun level let's do it excited let's go fantastic oh greg there's hunters a kit to
23:44put on ah just go with it jose we're about to get the safety breathing because you can't hear anything
23:49wow i feel like a human sausage this is like a menopausal nightmare i'm sweating so much now
23:55i can't even breathe but yes lovely i feel great all right ready to go then guys yes fantastic
24:01going down river on a donut everyone's actually just a blown up donut obviously you'd be an actual
24:07donut to try this without instructors who know the river well and have all the year we're simply
24:11going to sit down easy please so this is the important part now if or when we get washed out
24:19of our children the rapids have prominent rocks and if you're out you're going to bring your feet
24:22round slight bend on your knees and you're going to bring your bum up and you're simply going to
24:27float down the rapid don't grab things going down the rapid guys just stay nice and flat legs bent
24:32the fences for me jules is used to me screaming that might tell him i'm going to enjoy this i
24:41think
24:41you're going to love it i'll look after you as well you don't have to do anything you guys don't
24:46want
24:46to do today here we go girls oh my god keep paddling you go first greg quite weird feeling
24:54get choppy now nicely done very good nice good well done stay there you're good
25:01mike's happy to come and rescue me typical well at least i didn't fall out hold on tight i will
25:14i can't tell you how much i'm hating this i'm hating this i feel like i need a spirit guide
25:27sometimes you got to go find the river and other times the river finds you
25:43the river certainly found me greg swim to me ready ready grab it awesome hold on tight you got it
25:51good start well done jules will i uh just get you at the bottom jules i don't know what i
25:56did wrong
25:57you did amazing i'm going to send you down the next little bit there
26:11what took you at least you have that sense of humor about it
26:17i to be honest there's nowhere else i'd rather be
26:20is that our wee swimming pool all right yeah this is it get at me do you know that was
26:25like beautiful
26:26lazy river punctuated by moments of sheer terror that was fantastic you've never been saying
26:33have you been throwing out your donut though no i don't like getting out my donut i'm going for a
26:39swim good luck to you mate i'll join you in a minute greg i can't wait to get out of
26:44this wetsuit
26:44i'd recommend people try this it's something different lolling around in the river neath this is an
26:50incredible river really beautiful i'm alive
27:03over and out never slim and tubing
27:11how lovely is this so the rapids and the eddies of the river native spat us out onto the shore
27:17and here we find ourselves with probably the greatest chittery bite donation i've ever seen
27:22from look at this this is amazing from lanrick castle is just up here oh it's up there and
27:27they've kindly donated this box of chittery bites we've never had a menu for a chittery bite
27:31this will set us up before we plow further west into scotland's southern flank
27:48so
27:49so
27:55you
27:57you
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