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?

[foxinsocks]

Swimming in the sea my absolute favourite too (love surfing too)

I swim in Frensham Ponds (near Farnham) but they often cordon off a tiny area to avoid clashing with boats!

[foxinsocks]

Frensham ponds extraordinarily warm btw

Have never swum at hampstead but always tempted - will do it this summer I think!

[bronze]

Thanks Magpie
Will definitely go check out a few when I pass my test
Maybe even convince another mner to come with me
Megbusset?

[Takver]

Davros, I used to swim in the pond on Hampstead Heath but it was over 20 years ago when I had a boyfriend who lived nearby. I've swum in both the mixed & women's ponds & both were lovely.

Bronze, I would be wary of swimming in the sea on my own - if I want to swim just me I go to the lifeguarded beach. When I lived somewhere with a lake (housing co-op, not all mine!) I swum there on my own, but tbh it wasn't much more than a glorified pond , the same when I lived in Spain with a swimmable (but still only small pools) river in the village.

[Fozzleyplum]

Question to anyone who's been swimming in the Fairy pools on Skye - We're going in mid-July and have bought wetsuits for the DC's; would DH and I be mad to try it without wetsuits for ourselves?

[SkinnyVanillaLatte]

I am so unbelievably excited to find this thread!

I watched the programme on TV a little while ago about wild swimming and was completely spellbound by it.The one where they went cave swimming.Can anyone remember where the swim was at the end? - it was a loch or something near Hadrien's Wall I think. It is my new dream to go swim there.

I am a very strong swimmer,but I think I would prefer to swim in company doing this sort of thing,regardless - it seems to me it would otherwise be like going on a train journey,and not being able to point to someone else and say 'did you see that?'.

I think I would definitely be a wetsuit swimmer. I would feel a little reassured to have something between me and the wildlife,I think.

I don't like sea swimming - for some reason I find the thought of SO much I can't see under me very frightening. A river or lake seems somehow more friendly!

[BehindLockNumberNine]

I would love to get into wild swimming but would prefer to go with a group? Does anyone know of any groups in Surrey / Hampshire that are beginner friendly? I mean, I can swim (breaststroke only but strong and have stamina) but like the idea of swimming with others, meeting new friends?

[Angelico]

Haven't done this in years but when you said about how soft the water is it brought it all back to me :) We use to swim in the river when we were at Uni, it was gorgeous.

Would love to do it again but river where I live is very fast and the sea has strong riptides :(

[Angelico]

I do remember swimming later in summer though one time and getting a bit frightened because the reeds in the water kept 'grabbing' my ankles! Easter to June was just perfect, water was not too cold and the reeds hadn't really popped up yet.

[LostInWales]

Hello, you all fell off my threads I'm on and my tiny brain forgot about it . Started up our weekly gang again, it just makes such a difference to the week knowing we are going in the sea. Had some mad conditions though, went about 2 weeks ago and despite the blazing sunshine everywhere else it was dense fog at the beach. The tide was way out and at one point my friend and I were alone in the middle of a fog bank unable to see the dunes or the sea, felt like a very bad b movie . I ended up dragging a log and standing it up on the shore so we would have somewhere to take a bearing from. Felt such an extraordinary privilege though somehow, to be there in the flat calm water, everything gunmetal colour and feeling like we were the only people in the world for a while.

Really don't think I'd like the reeds grabbing at my ankles Angelico, it's bad enough when there are tiny bits of sea weed.

[SkinnyVanillaLatte]

It's strange isn't it,that many of our parents (for those of us in our 40's or older) probably mainly learnt to swim in open water/rivers.

However,since then it's been seen as almost foolhardy or dangerous.

I am not afraid of the water itself,but if someone could put my mind at rest over pike and swans,I'd be grateful!

Angelico,did you 'feel' the reeds brushing against you or were they kind of 'tangling' round your ankles?

[SkinnyVanillaLatte]

Do you need to only go in water that's already been 'charted',as such?

Does anyone just go and get in where takes your fancy or do you need to find out about such factors as boating,underwater rubbish,currents,weirs, possible chemical or sewage outlets??? (I'm assuming the answer to some of these would be a resounding 'yes'!) And how do you find out these things?

And is it safe to allow the water into your mouth/eyes?

[Angelico]

Skinny they tangled round. Only happened the once but freaked me out a bit and realised it was because it was later in the summer when they were much longer, just beneath the surface. Luckily I was swimming behind a punt with friends in so was able to hop back into boat when it got a bit too much effort :)

I think there are dangers with wild swimming, especially when you haven't been in a place at a particular time of year / don't know the place / don't know the tides and currents - you can't always see them. Three drownings in Ireland last week in quarries, lakes, river during the hot weather.

But when it goes to plan it's sublime :)

[Angelico]

Disease wise I know we were warned about Weil's disease from rats piddling in the river. If swimming in the sea better going for a blue flag beach - all our local beaches are blue flag as they are on the Atlantic coast.

[LostInWales]

I go in the sea because that is what I know and am used to, I do bear in mind the state/size of the tide and know what to do in the event of a rip tide.

The river I swim in I go with friends who run swimming holidays and take clients there so I just presumed they knew what they are doing (you are making me worry now, stop it ) We do take into account how fast the river is flowing (if there has been a lot of rain and it is flowing fast then it's a 'no' for reasons of water speed, branches in the water and run off from farms). The fish tend to get away from us (we see them jumping out of the water ahead) as we probably seem like quite scary predators to them. Haven't come across swans but do try very hard not to think about lamprey eels and the like. It's probably a balance between being safe and not over thinking things.

It would be impossible to avoid getting water in mouth/eyes. I haven't had any problems so far, only time I've ever had an eye infection was from a campsite pool in France!

[LostInWales]

Angelico do you think the drownings are related to the hot weather though, too hot into cold water/not experienced swimmers/alcohol involved. It's horrible to think of people drowning.

[SkinnyVanillaLatte]

I can imagine that does feel quite disconcerting,Angelico.

I'm still resolved to give this a bit of a go though!I've not done an awful lot of wild swimming,but I know when kayaking in the past I must have ingested huge volumes of river and reservoir water.(although I'm still a bit worried about pike and swans!)

[SkinnyVanillaLatte]

Sorry Lost

I think you're absolutely right with the overthinking!!!

I've worked in swimming pools for many years,and its the filth that I know goes in them that draws me to wild swimming. Really I know that I'm far more likely to come across sewage,chemicals and filth in the local baths than the local river

Well reminded about Weils disease though Angelico. I always forget that one. You have to cover open wounds don't you when around river banks?

[Angelico]

Think the swans are only a problem when they have their little babies in the water too, they can get very aggressive and defensive then, but that is earlier in the year from what I recall.

I think the hot weather relaxes people and makes them overly optimistic IYSWIM and they fail to appreciate the dangers, bit like the way people get into bother on holiday abroad because they just don't do any 'risk assessment'. All the people who died last week were youngish, one teen and I think 2 in early twenties. I think the teen had been building a raft with his mates and they all fell in but others survived. Very sad :(

Wild swimming is like anything - weigh up the potential risks and minimise them, then enjoy yourself.

[LostInWales]

I find I just have to block my brain from thinking about what I'm sharing the water with. Nearly had a panic in the river last year but talked myself down before I made a fool of myself

Been in the sea tonight, only two of us on time so we went in but people kept turning up late and ended up staying in longer than sensible. I am wearing two t shirts, jumper, scarf, big socks and a whippet all wrapped up in a blanket to try and get warm again. It was a lovely evening though, feels like setting a big reset button on life sometimes

[SkinnyVanillaLatte]

I have been kayaking (and capsizing!) in rivers,but have never swum in one intentionally. I have also been skinny dipping in Slippery Stones in The Peak District many years ago. But it doesn't feel quite the same as a calm and intentional swim (although it was great!).

eighty,I am a natural breaststroker anyway,so I wouldn't really 'need' to put my face in. However I can imagine breaststroke being more problematic for a shallow water swim.

Did anyone else see the Wild Swimming programme?