Wild swimming kit, gifts, equipment and accessories
By wildswim at September 20, 2020 | 8:22 am | 0 Comment
Well, if you come across a magical pool on a walk it’s quite possible to swim without any kit, and that's part of the beauty of wild swimming. Just wear your undies or go naked if it is secluded. If you have no towel wipe most of the water off with your hands then sacrifice one item of clothing to dry yourself or travel with a small, light cotton sarong (which can also
Wild Swimming access, legal and law – am I allowed to wild swim in rivers and lakes?
By wildswim at March 11, 2020 | 9:26 am | 1 Comments
Staying Legal and Respecting Others If you swim in a water body you need to make your own judgement and undertake your own research about whether it is legal to do so, but these pages may help you decide. Summary Right to swim is complex, and there is so simple answer re 'am I allowed to swim here'. Riparian owners (who own the riverbank and bed of the river,
Wild Swimming introduction for beginners
By wildswim at August 9, 2017 | 7:18 am | 0 Comment
Why go ‘wild’ swimming There is something slightly naughty, a little bit scary and wonderfully invigorating about leaving your wetsuit at home, and entering open water with just your skin (and perhaps a swimming costume) between you and the elements. Freed from the thermal and neoprene protection of a wetsuit, cold water immersion provides a sense of elation and
Wild swimming safety with kids and children
By wildswim at June 13, 2014 | 11:06 am | 0 Comment
There’s nothing inherently dangerous about wild swimming, but you should always be careful around water with children. Try to chose a river or lake beach with a gently shelving slope, and make sure you go in and check for depth and deeper holes, before you let little ones paddle. There's also more about how to have fun wild swimming with families here. But for our main
Outdoor Swimming for Familes
By wildswim at April 4, 2014 | 11:06 am | 0 Comment
To enjoy outdoor swimming in Britain it's important to be hot before you go in and to be able to warm up quickly after you come out, so why not have a few activities or games up your sleeve to keep everyone moving around? A simple game of 'it' or 'tag' can be good with a small group but if there are more than four then some people will do less running than others.
Sea swimming safety, dangers and risks
By wildswim at July 4, 2012 | 12:25 pm | 10 Comments
Escaping a rip is straightforward if you are a strong swimmer and remain calm. People drown from panic, followed by exhaustion, so never fight against the current. Keep an eye on a shore landmark to establish whether you are in a rip. If so, stand or wade if possible. If not, swim out of it at 90 degrees parallel to the beach for about 20m. Once out of the rip, head back
How to find a great wild swimming place or spot
By wildswim at June 26, 2012 | 10:07 am | 1 Comments
Britain is bubbling with glorious little river and lake swmiming holes, all of your own. They are there for the finding, but how to go about it? 1) Hotspots: Focus on the wild swimming hot spots: areas likely to be rich in natural pools and clean unpolluted waters. Nature Reserves or National Parks are a good place to start and an internet search or basic guidebook
Getting Started
By wildswim at June 12, 2012 | 9:19 am | 7 Comments
A scorching hot summer’s day is a great time for swimming, and it can be exciting on rainy or cooler days too... What if the water is cold? Water temperatures can vary. Shallow lakes can get up to a blamy 25C in summer but mountain rivers may struggle to reach 20C. Much of the year outdoor waters are around 12C - 17C so the key is to arrive at the swimming hole so
Find Guidebook Swim Places
By wildswim at April 4, 2012 | 10:49 am | 0 Comment
'Wild Swimming: 150 hidden dips' provides grid references, postcodes and direcions for 150 freshwater wild swimming spots in Britain. An additional 80 swims are also included with grid references only. (NB You can see if your favourite area is covered on the coverage map). There are three methods to find each location. 1) Directions: Follow the step-by-step
Wild Swimming health, safety, risks and dangers
By wildswim at April 3, 2012 | 2:09 pm | 25 Comments
Not being able to swim - sounds obvious but shallow water can deepen suddenly. If you, your children or your friends cannot swim make sure you scout out the extent of the shallows, set clear boundaries and keep constant supervision. Remember that even shallow sections of fast-flowing water can knock you off your feet. Be careful with inflatables, which can create a false
History of Wild Swimming
By wildswim at April 3, 2012 | 1:35 pm | 1 Comments
wild-swimming (vb.): 1. Swimming in natural waters such as rivers, lakes and waterfalls. Often associated with picnics and summer holidays. 2. Dipping or plunging in secret or hidden places, sometimes in wilderness areas. Associated with skinny-dipping or naked swimming, often with romantic connotations. 3. Action of swimming wildly such as jumping or diving from
Wild swimming for beginners – tips and advice
By wildswim at July 15, 2010 | 9:14 pm | 0 Comment
Daniel Start, author of Wild Swimming, shares his tips for taking the plunge . What is wild swimming and why do it? ‘Wild Swimming’ is the ancient art of swimming in natural waters such as rivers, lakes and waterfalls, as well as the sea - the sort of places our great grandparents learnt to swim in and the only places before swimming pools were invented in Victorian
