FEATURES,  View from the Water

New issue alert, Swim Serpentine Festival and Hever Castle

Last weekend the Outdoor Swimmer team were at Swim Serpentine and Hever Castle for what are probably our last events of the summer. Contributing editor Alice and myself had a great time hosting the Swim Serpentine Festival – a series of inspirational talks and short films curated by Kendal Mountain Festival. It is testament to the growth in popularity of open water swimming that a swimming event can now support such a varied cultural programme. It was also a pleasure to meet so many new and experienced outdoor swimmers taking the plunge in the Serpentine Lake.

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Happy swimmers at Swim Serpentine

At the Festival we heard from Libby Page, author of best-selling novel The Lido; swimming suffragette Jenny Landreth, author of Swell, on unsung women heroes; and ocean swimmer Beth French on her journey from wheelchair-bound ME sufferer to attempting to swim all the Oceans Seven in one year. The series of short films took us on a journey across the world of outdoor swimming – from freediving under the ice in Finland, dipping in mountain lakes in Wales, swimming with Orca in Norway and year-round sea swimming in Ireland. It was a life-affirming programme of films that played to a packed tent, hopefully inspiring a whole new generation of swimming adventurers. We look forward to the Festival’s return next year.

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Alice Gartland, Jenny Rice of KMF and Jonathan Cowie

Our October issue went to print last Friday and should be arriving with subscribers end of this week. In the new issue we look at the hot topic of cold water swimming and whether it can help beat depression – and find out how to get back your swim mojo if you need a motivation boost. Plus we test all the latest pool training gear; swim in wild waters in Norway, the Bahamas and Italy; and delve into the swimming history of America’s smallest state. And we share more of your inspiring stories, photos and swimming adventures. You can order your copy directly from us, or subscribe now and save 21% on the September issue’s cover price. Bargain! Or if you just can’t wait, download the digital issue now.

Swim wild and free,

Jonathan Cowie

Editor, Outdoor Swimmer magazine

This week’s pic of the week is by Ruth Bishop of mermaid chasing in the river Dart at her friend Alex Jones’s wild swimming inspired hen do.

In each issue of the magazine we publish a selection of your images in our Selkie Reader Photo Contest. To be in with a chance of having your photo featured in the magazine and winning outdoor swimming kit and apparel from Selkie Swim Co enter your best pics now.

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Jonathan is a year-round skins swimmer with a particular love of very cold water. He has competed in ice swimming competitions around the world. He is a qualified open water coach with a particular love of introducing new swimmers to the open water.