The Year I Lay My Head in Water (Hardback)

Swimming Scandinavia in Search of a Better Life

Laura Hall

‘An inspiring dip into the swimming cultures of Scandinavia.’ – KATE REW

‘A hugely refreshing take on the open water experience – I devoured it in one sitting.’ – EMMA SIMPSON

‘A wonderful call to reflect, slow down, challenge yourself and live a life of intention.’ MARK AGNEW

Laying your head in water is what you do when you’re having a bad day. The water is where you go when you need time to think. It’s where you go when you reach a crossroads in your life.

Living in Copenhagen had been a dream for Laura Hall and it was working out – until it wasn’t. She discovered that the trials of life will follow you anywhere and felt herself disintegrating into stress and burn out. She was unmoored and unsure of how to find her place in the world.

What followed was a year swimming the cold seas of Scandinavia in search of answers and meaning. She swam in iceberg-filled seas in Greenland, experienced Viking spas in Iceland and visited beaches and piers all over Norway, Denmark and Sweden. During this year of discovery, Laura met other people doing the same thing and swapped notes, discovering ways to use the water to strengthen a bond with nature and get back to a more human way of life.

A love letter to the sea and the people of Scandinavia, this book is also a clarion call for anybody stuck in a rut who needs to rekindle their lust for life. It’s time to reconnect with the natural world. It’s time to lay your head in the water.

Laura Hall is an award-winning author, travel writer and journalist based in Copenhagen. She has written for outlets including The Sunday Times, BBC Travel, the Guardian, the Independent and Lonely Planet. The Year I Lay My Head in Water is her first memoir.

‘A hugely refreshing take on the open water experience – I devoured it in one sitting. The Year I Lay My Head in Water combines the fundamental joys of immersing in nature and finding a like-minded community. This book reminds us of what is wonderful about being human, and the magic that happens when you open yourself up to adventure. It’s a treat.’ – Emma Simpson, author of Breaking Waves

‘The words washed over me like I’d plunged into a frigid sea and emerged happier for it. This book is a wonderful call to reflect, slow down, challenge yourself and live a life of intention.’ – Mark Agnew, author of There Will Be Headwinds

‘An inspiring dip into the swimming cultures of Scandinavia.’ – Kate Rew, author of The Outdoor Swimmers’ Handbook