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The Guardian.

Welcome to the Guardian Long Read, showcasing the best long-form journalism

covering culture, politics and new thinking.

For the text version of this and all our long reads, go to thegardion.com for a slash long read.

This audio-long read contains language you may find offensive.

Cold comfort. How cold water swimming cured my broken heart.

After a painful break up in the death of her father, one writer retreated to the coast of

Brittany in winter, where she tested the powerful effects of a daily swim in the ICC,

by Wendell Stevenson, read by Nisha Nia and produced by Estro Poker Jenny.

On my birthday last year, 6th of October, my boyfriend and I split up.

After almost a decade together, we were driving back from a holiday in Maine,

a last chance to find a way to make it work. We had a lovely time. It didn't change anything.

We can't. It's not. We don't.

All around us are trees who are on fire. They leave gorgeous flaming colours.

...