Taking a ‘loony dook’ has become a beloved Scottish festive tradition since the first brave souls waded out from South Queensferry one chilly New Year’s Day in the mid-1980s.
What began as an oddball remedy for New Year’s Day hangovers is now a national pastime.
Aside from annual New Year’s Day dooks that happen all along Scotland’s coastline, wild swimming clubs have sprung up to take the open water plunge more regularly, promoting a plausible-sounding plethora of physical and mental benefits, not the least of which is that, if your day starts with immersion in near-freezing water, it can only improve thereafter.
So it was perhaps inevitable that hospitality businesses would wake up to the potential of offering customers both the cold water experience and then their well-earned post-dip treats.
Leading that charge is the Lost Shore Surf Resort, billed as Europe’s largest inland surf resort, a £60million development which opened in Ratho, near Edinburgh, just last month.
Created by North Berwick entrepreneur and surf enthusiast Andy Hadden on an old quarry site, Lost Shore’s vast pools use cutting edge European wave-making technology to offer inland surfers up to 1000 waves per hour.
On the surrounding site, there’s an array of luxury lodges and pods to retreat to once the surfing is done, built around a resort with saunas and wellness facilities, and the waterfront bar, café and restaurant concept ‘Canteen’, that promises to showcase the best in Scotland’s independent food and drink scene, starting with seasonally rotating guest kitchens from Five March, Rafa’s, and Civerinos.
Behind the bar, there’s five locally brewed beers from Pilot on draught, plus Guinness, and a full range of surf-themed quality cocktails – like ‘Wild Horses’, a concoction of Woven Homemade Whisky, Port Of Leith Manzanilla, sherry, pineapple, raspberry, acids and champagne – plus a decent wine list and plenty softs and low-alcs for anyone planning to get back on a surfboard afterwards.
As part of its opening promotional push, Lost Shore is inviting people to its own version of the Loony Dook on New Year’s Day 2025, with the ‘thrilling inland twist’ that it has heated changing rooms, and that enticing food and drink menu to help with post-dook recuperation.
Head of events and sales at Lost Shore Surf Resort, Lauren Hyder, said: “Whether you’re a seasoned Dooker or taking the plunge for the first time, the Lost Shore Loony Dook offers an exhilarating way to start the year.
“We’re embracing a much-loved Edinburgh tradition and giving it a unique inland twist, creating a vibrant new way to celebrate New Year’s Day.
“After your dip, the fun doesn’t stop—we are inviting guests to treat themselves to breakfast pastries and hot drinks at our waterfront restaurant, Canteen, unwind with a session in the Spear Sauna, or enjoy soothing treatments and massages by Michelle Denham, delivered by Lost Shore’s highly skilled therapists.
“For those seeking more adrenaline, catch a wave at our world-class surf facility and truly kick off 2025 in style!”
The Loony Dook will kick off a programme of ‘new year, new you’ activities running throughout January at Lost Shore, including yoga, motivational talks and wellbeing sessions.
