Thread to evangelise about open water swimming!

[dynevoran]

Where has this been all my life? The feeling is amazing. I started at the start of June and can't believe I've swum all my life and never tried it til this year.

I did a 1.5km event/race on Sunday and came 26th out of 71 people. I'm just over the moon at 32 years old to finally find the exercise that clicks and I really love and am naturally good at. I persevere with running but I'm not a natural. I enjoy weights but the buzz isn't the same.

So if you like to swim....make the most of this amazing weather and start open water swimming before the proper season ends! You might be like me and have finally found your calling - fitness wise!

[TheCountessofFitzdotterel]

Dales by any chance?
Limestone pavements are amazing for making little cascades and perfect for family picnics because they have very safe places for little ones to paddle as well as the hardcore plunge pools and swimming stretches.
A mile upstream from the place in my pic is the most wonderful natural jacuzzi. It's near Middleham Castle where Richard III grew up so we call it Richard III's Jacuzzi. Which means the rope swing in my pic is clearly Richard III's rope swing

[TriJo]

carriemumsnet and any others - ladies pond meetup? :)

[BathtimeFunkster]

I want to do a ladies pond meet up! Sounds fab in a 1920s kind of way

I probably wont be in London at the right time, but now I know about the ponds will have to make s visit.

Thanks, Muriel for the FB links. :)

I also found another group local to me.

I'm going to start doing more of this.

[Thistledew]

I have been open water swimming for 3 years now. I go to a lake near to me which has organised sessions from May- October.

It really is my favourite thing ever. I do triathlon, and cycling is my best and favourite discipline, but there is something so special about swimming in natural water. I think it is the fact that you can keep going for as long as you want without stopping and changing direction and the connection to nature. You can enjoy being outside even if it is honking it down with rain! I find it really relaxing, even if I am training hard, and it just lifts my spirits so much.

One funny thing occurred to me a few weeks ago that actually caused me to stop mid swim because I was laughing out loud like a mad woman - I am planning a new bathroom that will go in the extension we are having built. I have been envisaging colouring it a lovely soft green colour to create a beautiful relaxing space. I was half way round the lake and noted that the algae had started to bloom, but the sun filtering through the green water was so beautiful. Then it occurred to me- the beautiful green colour I have been picturing for the bathroom is the exact same shade as the algae!

I mostly swim in a wetsuit, but last year the water got so warm in the lake that I didn't need to wear one for about a month, and in fact it was too hot to do so. That was glorious, swimming in open water in just a costume. The temperature is about warm enough now but I have been quite ill recently and am appreciating the security of the extra buoyancy if I need to pause to catch my breath.

[dynevoran]

Wow some beautiful swimming spots. I'm totally up for a ladies pond meet up - wonderful idea.

Thanks for the fb links - I reactivated my account so I can join.

Less picturesque than some of your swimming spots but here is my usual lake, dorney lake where I did my first event and me looking ridiculously pleased with myself for achieving something I thought I'd never do!

[dynevoran]

Thistle I agree that it's so nice to swim without. It was 24.5° a fortnight ago in my local lake! But wetsuit does give a wonderfully buoyant feeling too.

I Want to do more triathlons but I'm a terrible runner....the swim is my strength which seems to be the opposite way round to everyone else in a tri. So to find swim only events is great.
Already planning a family holiday around a mile in windemere next year...

[MurielWoods]

Well done dynevoran and great photos

I have one of me after having completed my first open water event. I have serious goggle marks on my face, blood shot eyes and snot on my nose but I am sporting the biggest grin ever because I was just so blooming chuffed

It's my husbands favourite photo!

[TheCountessofFitzdotterel]

I don't tend to do wetsuits much but then I don't do distances so don't need to. Really regretted not wearing one in the Fairy Pools on Skye, though, because the rock formations were amazing and I wanted to stay in longer but it was just too cold.

[dynevoran]

The fairy pools look amazing - just looking through Google images. Its on my list now!

[dynevoran]

Muriel those photos are always the best - pure emotion

[PennilynLott]

trijo thanks I didn't realise you could swim in the reservoir, we're about to move near there. Are wetsuits compulsory do you know?

[TriJo]

Wetsuits are compulsory there - generally the sessions are 7-9am Sat/Sun and Thursday evening 5:30-8pm. You'll need to do a safety induction too, they are generally Saturday mornings, but that's good for 3 years once you get it out of the way. Capital Tri do some coached sessions there on Sunday mornings too.

[TriJo]

• 7:30-9:30 on the weekends, memory failing me!

[GeekLove]

I've been to the Cotswold Water park and the beach at Rutland Water - the water there is clean but colder than at Cotswold. What you do need to do is check that it is open in that there are lifeguards.

Are there any people here who lament the lack of decent inland beachs/ family friendly swimming sites, speaking as someone from the West Midlands where there is a tragic lack of beaches.

Also RANT ALERT, there seems to be something singularly British about taking a good idea from Europe/US and making it shit. There is something particularly special about somewhere that proclaims itself a lake beach - with a NO SWIMMING sign pride of place.

Other than that, if there are any other West Midlands wild swim site that people know about that would be awesome!

[BathtimeFunkster]

I have to swim in those Fairy Pools!

Gorgeous.

[GeekLove]

Lake Gormere near Sutton Bank in North Yorkshire is nice for swimming. In fact I'm going to North Yorkshire this coming weekend. Anyone know of some good spots around Ripon/ Thirsk area?

[GeekLove]

Lake Gormere near Sutton Bank in North Yorkshire is nice for swimming. In fact I'm going to North Yorkshire this coming weekend. Anyone know of some good spots around Ripon/ Thirsk area?

[TheCountessofFitzdotterel]

Masham, by the fishermen's hut. Park by the bridge at the foot of the hill and follow the path upstream along the river till you get to the hut. Nb if you do go, don't forget to read /write in the visitor's book in the hut. Mention Mumsnet so next time I go I will see it!

If you're prepared to go further up Wensleydale , Redmire Force on the Ure or just downstream of Hullo Bridge or Black Dub on the Cover.

[GeekLove]

I really wish we were more in line with Europe on this - it seems natural over there to go swimming where its actually safe to do so or there aren't any anglers nearby.

Also OSS published a report in that people who go to swim in open water have the least risk of drowning associated with them. Apparently it is anglers who are at greatest risk when examining the risks of water sports and open water.

[TheCountessofFitzdotterel]

Things have improved in the last 15 years though , since wild swimming took off. I used to know people who had been told off by policemen for swimming in perfectly good places and ROSPA used to publish dire warnings each year saying crazy stuff like 'inland water never warms up!'

[GeekLove]

The Countess Thanks for the pointers of places in north Yorkshire. Is it quite obvious where it is considering Masham isn't that big?

Just wish there were more places in the West Midlands though. Its a bit of a wild swimming/open water swimming desert.

[TheCountessofFitzdotterel]

Yes, I think it's obvious. As you approach the town from the Ripon direction you cross the river and immediately after the bridge there's a little unsignposted carpark on the right with a kissing gate leading to the river. You just follow the path upstream for about half a mile and you can't miss the hut.

[Pantone363]

We're in Alresford. We swim off a little inshore beach, it's beautiful!

We've been lucky to see the seals I just get a by dubious when they get too close. I was looking at wetsuits in Go Outdoors today, are they pretty much all the same?

[dynevoran]

The vast majority of women I see wear the entry level Orca training wetsuit which I think is sold exclusively at wiggle. It's around £100 or so.

[Pantone363]

Ooooo thanks looks good! Just using a bog standard one out of the Range at the moment