Hundreds of wild swimmers across the north and north-east took the plunge in ice-cold waters for a New Year’s Day Dip.
Although 2022 was off to an unusually mild start, the sea remained chilly enough for daredevils to show off some resilience and face the choppy waves.
Dressed in normal swim attire, swimmers of all ages and abilities charged into the sea in Aberdeen and Stonehaven for a laugh and some cold water therapy.
Dozens braved the freezing conditions with a smile on their faces as they leapt into the sea with a water temperature of around 8°C.
Meanwhile, hardy Highlanders also braced themselves for a rather chilly dip in the Loch Linnhe on the west coast of the region.
Members of the Loch Linnhe Loonies open water swimming group took to the loch to enjoy the scenery and take in the benefits of cold water therapy to keep them healthy.
However, their first dip of the year was cut short due to the combinations of high winds and incoming tide, which were pushing them back to their start point.
Warm start to 2022
While some marked the start of the new year with a splash, others preferred to enjoy the sunshine and the mild weather on dry land.
Families flocked to the Aberdeen beachfront this morning as the UK recorded the warmest New Year’s Eve and possibly the hottest New Year’s Day.
The Met Office said temperatures increased overnight to reach 16.5°C in Bala, Gwynedd, north Wales, setting a new record high for this time of year.
According to forecaster Craig Snell, the average temperature in December and the beginning of January is usually around 7°C or 8°C, and the warmer weather was due to a south-westerly wind making its way across the country.
The meterological body is also awaiting confirmation if the 16.2°C recorded in St James’s Park in central London has beaten the New Year’s Day record for the first time in more than a century.
The current New Year’s Day record temperature of 15.6°C was recorded in Bude, Cornwall, in 1916.
However, Met Office forecaster Dan Stroud urged people to “make the most of the warmth because a change is on the way as we go into the early part of next week”.