EXPLORE
Discover alluring outdoor swimming destinations through the eyes of swim explorers. From British gems like Cornwall and the Lake District to exotic locales like Greece and Mexico, swimmers share their magic spots. Learn how to plan aquatic adventures near and far. With inspiration and practical tips, find your next memorable swimming holiday.
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The Italian job: a swim across the Strait of Messina
This summer, Matt Newbury enjoyed a 'legendary' swim across the Strait of Messina, between the island of Sicily and the…
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Swimming spot: Keeper’s Pond, Monmouthshire
Enjoy a lofty lake swim with views of Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) followed by a sauna on the water's edge.
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New cold-water swimming retreat in the Lake District
Rothay Manor, a boutique hotel in Ambleside, is launching a new series of cold-water swimming retreats this winter, focusing on…
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Swimming watercolours in County Mayo, Ireland
From golden lough swims and yellow flat periwinkles to pale turquoise seas and grey skies, County Mayo’s swims are drawn…
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ReWild Swim Club, Gloucestershire
Nestled in rewilding land, tucked into the meandering course of the River Severn, is a hidden space where you will…
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Best books for wild swimmers 2023
Whether you want to discover new wild swimming locations, pore over nature writing at its most lyrical, lose yourself in…
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This little piggy went to Essex
So much more than a bed a breakfast, but not as impersonal as a hotel, Ella Foote heads to Piglets…
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Somerset Swim Retreats
Simon Griffiths took a weekend off racing for some welcome rest and recreation in the South West of England… but…
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Swimming in Zürich
The most obvious appeal for swimmers in Zürich is the lake: 40kms long and just 3kms at its widest point,…
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Swim hikes in South Wales
Nia Lloyd Knott shares a small selection of her favourite swim hikes in the Brecon Beacons and Gower from her…
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A wild swimming adventure in the Hebrides
Ella Foote travels to the Isle of Mull for a summer swim adventure with Wild Hebridean Swimming.
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Tricks of the mind: swimming in the Faroe Islands
Ben Lane undertook a magnificent swim in the Faroe Islands. Here he shares the mental and physical challenges of exploring…
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How to plan a river swimming route
A long and lazy river swim under the dappled light from riverside trees is a quintessentially summer pastime. Jonathan Cowie…
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The slowest of journeys
Author of The Slow Traveller Jo Tinsley on how adopting a slow travel mindset has inspired her travels by water
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Fossing in Yorkshire
Susanne Masters seeks rivers and waterfalls on her wild swimming holiday in the Yorkshire Dales.
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Wild swimming spots in North East England
Sarah Banks, author of Wild Guide North East England, chooses 10 of her favourite places to swim in the North…
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Sea pool sanctuaries
Architect, urban swimming expert and now author, Chris Romer Lee has made waves in outdoor swimming for a decade and…
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Lido hopping: a swimming and cycling adventure on Dartmoor
Anna Hattersley runs Ashburton Swimming Pool on the edge of Dartmoor, after saving it from closure with a group of…
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The best wild swimming walks in the Lake District
Author and swim guide Pete Kelly shares his favourite swim-hikes from his new book, Wild Swimming Walks Lake District.
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Go with the flow
Rivers have a beginning, middle and end – maybe that’s why so many of us love a river swim. Ella…
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Kernow calling: A swimming holiday in Cornwall
Cornwall (Kernow) has the longest coastline in Britain and is famed for warmer, sunnier weather than the rest of the…
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Swimming spot: Livermead Head and the Hindu Temples, Torbay, Devon
Devon authors Matt Newbury and Sophie Pierce have published a new guidebook to magical swims in Torbay. Here they share…
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Swimming spot: Oddicombe and the Juliet Cave, Torbay, Devon
Devon authors Matt Newbury and Sophie Pierce have published a new guidebook to magical swims in Torbay. Here they share…
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Swimming spot: Anstey’s Cove to Redgate Beach and the hidden pool, Torbay, Devon
Devon authors Matt Newbury and Sophie Pierce have published a new guidebook to magical swims in Torbay. Here they share…
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Swimming in Lake Malawi National Park
Lake Malawi – the world’s ninth largest lake covering an area larger than Wales – is where Dennis Lupenga learnt to…
