In a nutshell
Dipping in and out of natures swimming pools!

Tell me more!
So, you feel chlorinated water is for wimps and you want to break out of your swimming pool comfort zone, then wild swimming could be for you! Lakes, rivers, seas, lochs, waterfalls and weirs are all possible water sites for you to dive into although temperature may be your initial guiding factor. Water quality is incredibly important and the environment agency monitors rivers, lakes and streams regularly at over 7,000 locations. They grade the quality A-F and only A-C is recommended to swim in (cover open wounds with a plaster as a precaution in C graded water)

The stuff you need
You may want to leave your old costume or bikini at home as keeping warm is paramount when swimming in the great British weather. A surfing, sleeveless or triathlon wetsuit is suitable as it traps a layer of heat against your skin and gives you some buoyancy, goggles (although you might not be able to see that far down), a brightly coloured hat (good for being spotted by boats or if you get into difficulty) and possibly footwear (old trainers, jelly shoes) as it may give you more confidence when you haven’t got a clue about what you are about to step on to! It is really important to get warm as quickly as possible when you leave the water so bring a towel, midge repellent, sun cream and a plastic bag for your wet items. 

Cool things you can do
Join a specialist group who organise swims around the country but who can also share their knowledge about hidden gems in your own area. A family day out can incorporate a walk, picnic, games and outdoor swim or splash around, it doesn’t just have to be the time for a ‘serious swim’. Event training, enhancing your stroke and water safety are some of the many courses available that can help improve your enjoyment of the sport and special events like night swimming can add a little something extra to the experience. Skinny dipping is another potential string to this bow but make sure you read up on the laws surrounding this before attempting to take part in this private pastime!    

People in the know!
wildswimmimg.co.uk
outdoorswimmingsociety.com
river-swimming.co.uk

 

Interested in this? Why not check out adventure travel, canoeing and kayaking, kite surfing, scuba diving, surfing

Facebook has wild swimming club pages which are specific to your region

Get inspired to have a local wild swim