The Wild Swimming thread

[SybilBeddows]

Any other wild swimmers about? I did the Fairy Pools on Skye last week, which was magic. Anyone else had any lovely swims they want to share?

lots of wild swimmers use wetsuits, I don't (because I want as many endorphins as possible from the cold and I don't get to stay in very long in any case cos of kids) but I wished I'd had one in Skye.

I've just googled Janet's Foss, Vividgingerchilli - wow! One to add to the to-do list....

the pool below the falls of falloch is a pretty amazing place to swim...

Is that the one called Rob Roy's Bathtub?

I thought about stopping there on the way home from Scotland last week.... should I have done?

I'm just reading this at the moment one mans Britain wide wild swim. He's not a great lover of wetsuits either. I don't like to wear one, it feels wrong to have something between me and the water, and the only one I've got isn't the best fit so not easy to swim well in. plus I'm so well padded I have virtually a natural wetsuit anyway

Anyone been in the water this weekend? Had a lovely swim today in the Ure at Masham; gorgeous, the water was like cold tea, with fallen leaves floating past. Spoke to a fisherman who said there are otters. I don't blame them, if I get reincarnated as an otter I'm going to go and live there, it was heavenly.

Bump for the new topic and new year.

Anyone been for a swim this year?

yay for the new outdoorsy shite great outdoors topic. We are off for our first Wednesday sea swim tomorrow, I have a hunch it will be very brief but it will be great to get the first one out of the way

If you go in today you officially get a crown as Queen of the MN Wild Swimmers

I was out for a walk on Sun and saw some people swimming in a river but didn't have the urge to rip my clothes off and jump in. Maybe this w/e.... Will take my swimsuit out with me, anyway.

I am going now, God help me

Enjoy the adrenalin rush from the freezing water!

We swim here and I suck up last week when the kids were at nursery and dipped my toes in - I can't wait for summer!

I didn't suck - I snuck!!

Oh how wonderful Blueberry!

Roger Deakin's book called 'Waterlog' is the best read for wild swimmers. Have read it over and over alongside his other two books) and it just soothes.

The Blue Lagoon, Aberfeiddy, Wales.

www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=blue+lagoon+abereiddy+photo&hl=en&sa=X&rlz=1C1GPCK_enGB445GB446&biw=1366&bih=653&tbm=isch&prmd=imvns&tbnid=FZjriXpRlScQZM:&imgrefurl=http

Sorry. That was a bad link.

www.visitpembrokeshire.com/content.asp?id=1972

All hail your Queen . I'm even starting to get the feeling back in my legs now. I would like to report that the sea is very very very cold and I said some very bad words but I have been in, no wetsuit and even managed to put my head under twice. It can only get better!

I really want to get to Blue Lagoon this year Atree, looks a fantastic place, have you been?

Not sure how wild it will be considered, but we swim in Frensham Pond (which is actually bigger than it sounds) in Surrey. Last year, the DCs swam in it (in swimsuits, none of this soft wetsuit stuff!) on 10th April! If this weather lasts, we maybe in there even earlier this year.

I'm sure anything that is not actually a swimming pool counts as wild, probably some lido's too. I approve of none of this wetsuit stuff too, much better for them, don't want them growing up soft.

All hail Queen Lost!

Frensham Pond most certainly counts as wild.

Lidos are outdoor swimming if not exactly wild, and some of them aren't even heated!

Does anyone wild swim in the east (England)
It's somethin gI love the sound of never having done it. I'm not an amaingly strong swimmer but love the free feel of it. When I as growing up my town had an outdoor pool and there were months at the beginning and end of the sason when only my best friend and I used it. Best of all in the rain.
Would love to introduce my children to that experience

Losty is definately wild swimming queen. My mad dh has swum in the sea every month, but there is no way I'm joining him yet!! He is mad, totally mad!

bronze I grew up on the east coast which is probably why I can swim on the west coast at this time of year. It never got much above freezing in August at home

SeaShells your DH can be thread god with his year round swimming

Is there anyone near Coventry who does wild swimming? Only I have no idea where the nearest decent places are since it seems I am a long way from anything resembling river or lake.
Oh and Draycot Water wild swimmings banned!

GeekLove, the Outdoor Swimming Society is worth a look on the internet/Facebook.

Also some books: Wild Swim by Kate Rew, Wild Swimming by Daniel Start (2 volumes, inland and coast).

The books have some great places in but they really just scratch the surface, there are a lot of good places they don't pick up.