On that first family holiday in Cornwall the sun beat down every day, the scent of gorse and heather filled the air and the ocean shimmered like a pool. It was so hot that we became obsessed with swimming and spent our days searching for the perfect cove or most amazing place to jump or snorkel.

I remember a huge rock pool, crystal clear and large enough to dive into, with purple kelp that wavered in the underwater sunbeams and hot rocks on which to bake ourselves dry afterwards.

Then there was our “secret cove”, which required a steep descent through a forest of head-high bracken and foxgloves, with a crescent of perfect shell sand and a sea arch that led to a cave, all pink and cool.

That childhood summer marked the beginning of my journey to discover and document the most enticing coves, beaches and plunge pools in Britain.

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Our coastline is one of the most stunning and diverse in Europe, with a mixture of history, wild beauty and accessibility that makes it unique.

From the geological splendour of Dorset's sandstone sea arches, the grandeur of Norfolk's desert island lagoons and the sheer magic of swimming with dolphins and seals in Pembrokeshire, many of our most impressive wild coast locations are only a few hours away by train, car or bike - but are also always close to the recuperative pleasures of a traditional pub with a roaring fire, or a village green and tea shop.

This summer there is no better time to take up wild swimming, with our coastal waters cleaner than at any time in living memory, and new access legislation opening up whole swaths of previously inaccessible coastline.

Of course, British waters are on the cool side compared with the Mediterranean - and that first dip of the season can feel like a breathtaking rite of passage - but if you shriek a bit, count to 30 and swim for something near by, you will soon warm up and wonder what all the fuss was about.

No matter how you feel before, you always feel amazing after a plunge. Perhaps it is the surge of endorphins that create such an addictive urge to dive back in, or perhaps it is the flushing of toxins from all the muscles in the body.

What we do know is that regular sea bathing leads to a much stronger immune and cardiovascular system and that nothing burns calories quite so effectively. So as well as making sure that you are hot and sweaty before a swim, reward yourself with ample cream cakes afterwards.

Even if we don't have perfect blue skies this summer, immersion in the ocean is still sublime. Storm clouds can make the ocean glow an ethereal mauve and those light summer drizzles can awaken shoals of silvery mullet that swim in your wake, feeding from the surface.

Whether you are a mermaid, or a selkie - the mythical Scottish half-seal, half-human creatures - or just an occasional paddler, our intertidal zone forms Britain's last great wilderness and offers a semi-aquatic sanctuary away from our crowded concrete everyday lives. From the blue grottoes of Cardigan to the white coves of Cornwall, wild swimming gives you an entirely new view on Britain and offers you an experience that feels alive, wild and free.

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