There's no doubt that wetsuits are wonderful things but... but it does form a barrier between you and the... experience of being in the water, I suppose.

Swimming in the river, when I was moving my hands through the water, I could feel the silkiness of the water.

But I wasn't really getting that on the rest of my body at all.

I suppose there's only really one way to deal with that, and that's to leave the wetsuit behind.

Before I discard my wetsuit, I want to know exactly what I'm going to be exposing my body to.

So I've arranged to meet Professor Mike Tipton, the country's leading expert on the effects of immersion in cold water.

Together with his assistant, Geoff, he's going to monitor what happens to my body when I plunge into this open-air pool.

Morning.

- Hello, Alice. Nice to meet you. - Hello, I'm ready.

- You're ready to go? - Yeah.