Hardy New Year dippers hiked up the snow-covered moor to White Wells at New Year, ready to plunge into the icy waters of the spa.

The freezing temperatures outside did nothing to deter locals and visitors to the town, who queued up from 10am on Friday for the experience.

Among them was 43-year-old Christine Bradley, from Silsden Moor, who has set herself a challenge of swimming in a different outdoor environment every month of the year.

Christine had attempted to swim at Grassmere on New Year’s Day. But by the time she ploughed through snowy roads to reach the Lake District, the rest of the outdoor swimmers had dis-appeared.

Undeterred, Christine headed straight back to Ilkley to take the plunge at White Wells, determined to keep to her promise.

She said: “I must be having a mid-life crisis! I just wanted to do something different. I feel fantastic now that I’ve done it – it’s not as cold as you think and I am looking forward to swimming outside next month.

“By this time next year I hope to have swum in a different lake, river or sea at least once a month.”

Christine, who stayed in the plunge pool for two or three minutes, joined the outdoor swimming society last year. Such is her devotion to the cause, she spent Boxing Day this year swimming in the sea at Whitby with waves crashing all around her.

She said: “I was in the water for about eight minutes. It was wonderful. There is something about swimming outdoors – it’s tough but you soon find you can get hooked.”

A total of 129 dippers jumped in to the pool this year.

The youngest was seven years old – the oldest 57.

Matthew Sturgeon, 42, who dipped with friend Rob King and his daughter Laura, said: “It’s a great way to celebrate the New Year. We have walked all over the moor and now it’s time for a dip. It feels wonderful when you come out – invigorating.”

Staff at White Wells café, which opened at 10am until 5pm on New Years Day said the pool was buzzing all day.

Mark Hunnebell said: “It’s not the highest number of dippers we have seen but perhaps that’s down to the snow.

“New Year dipping is just something that has caught peoples’ imagination and has become something of a tradition now. We always have over 100 people. I think folk just enjoy the challenge, or do it to raise money, or simply to feel refreshed with a good start to the New Year. It’s different and it’s fun.”