What age to swim in a lake with friends?

[DolphinAspirations]

What age would you be happy for your DD to swim in a lake with no adult supervision? It would be with friends of the same age in scotland. Mine has swum in a lake a couple of times with me but that’s all. She can swim at a medium sort of level.

We are having a difference of opinion.

And another young person has died, this time at Salford Quays in Manchester, so not even truly 'wild' swimming.

www.wakefieldexpress.co.uk/news/people/wakefield-reservoir-police-resume-search-for-man-3771139

another one yesterday. Still looking for his body.

Oh no I really hope this wasn't during one of the organised swims they have there. My son has swam there a few times with a company that runs organised sessions and they were always very hot on safety with people in kayaks keeping an eye on the swimmers etc. I mean its awful either way but I know the organisers would be absolutely devastated if it happened on their watch.

There’s a huge craze for wild swimming. Most people appear to think it life threatening.

That’s the “wild” bit. People think it’s an edgy and daring thing to do, so that’s why they want to do it.

I’ve been swimming in the rivers around here since I was a child. It was simply called “swimming” when I was young. It was the only option as there were no pools within 50 miles. Practically everybody did it.

Oh no I really hope this wasn't during one of the organised swims they have there.

The BBC report doesn't say. Just that he got into difficulties while 'swimming with friends'.

From the report: Det Insp Joanne Johnston said it was "a sad reminder of the dangers of entering open water, whatever the weather." Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue have been warning about the risks of open water following 41 fatal incidents locally since 2017.

And two more young people died and one missing, in different locations, in the space of around 24 hours. And they won't be the last this summer. I hope anyone who happens across this thread really drums into any young people they happen to know that rivers, canals, lakes and quarries are dangerous.

Never. Ever. Far too many die that way.
Friends of mine swim in lakes/pools a lot with their kids - but always supervised by adults and always in places they know well.

Teen missing presumed drowned in the Thames today.

My kids can swim wherever they want provided there's a lifeguard. No lifeguard, no swim.

I see a lot of people have posted no / never without actually asking anything about the nature of the lake, how busy it is etc.

Obviously, it depends on the lake. Where I live, there's a lake which regularly features in the top wild swimming sites in the UK. I take my children there every year. Last year was the first year I let my daughter go without me. She was 14. But as you can see from the pics below, people take their babies to go swimming there. On any hot day, there will be at least 100 people there, including most of the children from our village. I've been in, apart from being quite muddy, it's quite shallow and rather nice. I might even take my daughter for a swim there after school tomorrow.

I thought of this thread. 4 or 6 boys have drowned in the last week, lake swimming. Including a 15 year old yesterday. Sad.

But as I said it depends on the water. Our river, is actually the Thames, in Surrey. Bit the bits I was referring to, 6 or so 'beaches' where families, 100's of people go, every weekend in warm weather, is exactly like seramu's picture.