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How does Perth designer of ‘bold and brilliant’ swim caps spend her weekends?

Perth-based mum Stephanie Scott brings her infectious enthusiasm to everything she does, from weekend dips to making gorgeous swim hats.

Image shows: a woman Stephanie Scott in a bright floral swimsuit swimming in a loch in the autumn. She is wearing a floral swimming hat on her head and black gloves. She is splashing the water with both hands.
Stephanie enjoys a swim at beautiful Loch Faskally, while modelling one of her swimming hats. Image: Kenny Smith/DC Thomson.

If you are looking for Perth mum Stephanie Scott on any given weekend, chances are she’s leaping into some cold water wearing one of her flamboyant swim caps.

Like most busy parents, Stephanie spends a lot of time behind the wheel of mum’s taxi at the weekend. With four children aged 16 down to six that’s a full time job in itself.

Is it even a weekend without a swim?

There’s always time for a wild swim though, and she is spoilt for choice with beautiful spots to explore in Perthshire and beyond.

Stephanie, 39, caught the wild swimming bug about four years ago when she decided that she had to get moving to lose some weight.

Since then, she has lost over 10 stone, has taken part in two triathlons and is a self confessed “Wild swimming addict.”

Image shows: three women swimming in Loch Faskally in Perthshire. The women are wearing bright swimming hats and wide smiles. The water is still and the backdrop shows autumn leaves on the trees.
Stephanie Scott (centre) and friends Anne Stewart and Clare Suttie having a swim wearing some of Stephanie’s hand made caps. Image: Kenny Smith/DC Thomson.

No day is complete with out a dip, weekends included, and she loves the chill of the winter water: “the colder the better!” she laughs.

Weekends mean outdoor fun for the Scott family

Stephanie admits that five years ago the family’s weekend activities nearly always revolved around food.

“It might be going to the cinema where I could have loads of snacks or a short five minute walk and then straight to a cafe for coffee or lunch.”

“We are so much more of an outdoorsy family now,” she explains,

In fact, the whole family have taken to spending time by the water, inspired by Stephanie.

Image shows: a group of women on the shore of Loch Faskally, Pitlochry. All of the women are wearing flamboyant swimming hats decorated with colourful flowers. In the centre of the image, Stephanie Scott is wearing a swimming costume with bold sunflower pattern and a swim hat with yellow flowers.
Stephanie Scott with some of the members of her beloved swim community. L to R Anne Stewart, Tigerlily Suttie, Stephanie, Clare Suttie, Claire Darren and Stephanie’s Daughter Lola Scott.<br />Image: Kenny Smith/DC Thomson.

They can often be found kayaking, dipping in the warmer months or simply enjoying the natural world while mum has a swim.

Andy and Stephanie’s older daughter Lola,15, particularly loves swimming with her mum.

“She loves it, it gives her so much joy and confidence, you know, she loves being part of the swim community because it is so welcoming.”

Stephanie’s top swim spots

Loch Faskally in Pitlochry is a favourite wild swimming location. She swims there on Sunday mornings with the local Dell Dippers swim group.

“I love the social side of wild swimming,” says the bubby swimmer, “and we often end up in the Salmon Leap cafe at the Pitlochry Dam Visitor Centre after our dip.

“They look after the Dell Dippers really, really well.”

Image shows: Stephanie Scott wearing a bright yellow swimming cap decorated with flowers and a swimsuit with sunflowers on it. She is smiling and posing for the camera. Loch Faskally is in the background in full autumn colour.
Stephanie often spends her weekends swimming at beautiful such as Loch Faskally, Pitlochry. Image: Kenny Smith/DC Thomson.

Another favourite place for a post-swim warmer is the Willowgate Cafe in Perth.

“Tom and his team are amazing,” she enthuses. “They will have the fire burning for us and we don’t even have to order anymore!

“As soon as they see us walking from the car they put my hot chocolate on.”

The occasional weekend break

She also loves to seek out new swim locations when she occasionally manages to escape for a weekend break with husband Andy.

Recent highlights include the Meeting of the Three Waters at Glencoe and Feshiebridge near Aviemore.

And Stephanie is a great fan of an impromptu dip:

“I always have an emergency swimsuit, towel and of course Phannie’s Cap in the car just in case a swim opportunity arises!”

Stephanie’s swim hat inspiration

As soon as the Perth mum took the plunge into wild swimming, she knew that she would be wearing something a little bit different in the water.

“From the day one of going swimming it was always a silly swim cap that I had on my head – the brighter the better,” she recalls.

IMage shows: swim hat designer Stephanie Scott with a selection of brightly coloured and decorated swimming caps.
Stephanie Scott with a selection of her amazing swim hats. Image: Kenny Smith/DC Thomson.

Now, she has become almost as addicted to creating hats for her online Phannie’s Caps shop as she has to wild swimming.

I could spend hours getting them right and playing with colour combinations,” she enthuses.

“It’s another wee form of escapism. If I can’t be swimming it’s the next best thing.”

The creations are bold and beautiful, a little like Stephanie herself.

“I know they’re not everybody’s cup of tea but I just think we are in the water doing something crazy anyway so let’s just dress the part!”

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