FEATURES

In-depth features that celebrate the vibrant outdoor swimming community, spotlighting extraordinary individuals and their stories.

Swim techniques of the past

Jonathan Cowie looks back on how swim technique has changed over years, and why it doesn't pay to be nostalgic
A year without social media

Jonathan Cowie reflects on his year of giving up social media, and how it has simplified yet enriched his life.
How to keep your shoulders healthy

Swimming specialist physiotherapist Alex Ewart looks at what works and what doesn’t for preventing shoulder injury.
The Goddess of the Wye

Awe, reverence and joy – this is what puppeteer and activist Kim Kaos has brought to the Save the Wye…
Son of the Sea

Maisie Bartlett talks to children’s fiction author Richard Pickard about ocean adventures, representation and identity – and being born with…
Restore playfulness to your outdoor swimming

Swimming has the capacity to bring out our playful side, say Simon Griffiths.
A Life Aquatic

Hannah May shares her memories of swimming as a family and discusses the merits and methods of introducing young children to…
Let’s play

Outdoor swimming is inherently spirited, joyful and fun, helping us connect with our childhood selves, with nature and with our…
Second all-female relay swim across the Bristol Channel

The Langland Sharks, an all-female relay team, swam through the night to complete this challenging crossing between England and Wales.
“I swam 1km in every Irish county in one weekend”

On 16 June, endurance athlete Damien Wildes embarked on an extraordinary swimming challenge – to swim 1km in each of…
How I’m preparing for my next 10km marathon swim

How to build a training plan for a long distance swim that fits around your life.
Capturing water as our constant companion

Wading into sub-zero degree water with a large format camera might not be everyone's idea of fun, but it enables…
Watch our Q&A with Freya Bromley, author of The Tidal Year

For our recent subscriber and patron event, Outdoor Swimmer founder Simon Griffiths spoke to Freya Bromley about The Tidal Year,…
Hats off to Jule Harries, who’s completed her One Hundred Hats swimming challenge!

Charity swimmer Dr Jule Harries has completed her One Hundred Hats Challenge, undertaking 100 open water swims while wearing a…
How to calm first event nerves

Signed up for your first swimming event and feeling nervous? We share some top tips for overcoming those pre-event jitters.
Yvette Tetteh: The woman who does not fear

Yvette Tetteh’s epic 450km swim down the Volta river system in Ghana highlights the environmental damage done to the country…
Don’t miss out on the joys of outdoor swimming because of sewage pollution

Sewage pollution is a scandal but it doesn’t mean the end of wild swimming
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…
Listen out for underwater sounds

Whales and dolphins aren’t the only underwater sounds to listen out for on your swims, try tuning into the rasp…
Common Minke Whale

Susanne Masters introduces us to the Common Minke Whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata), a ‘small’ whale that reaches 8-9m long.
Lido guide: Sea Lanes Brighton

Author of The Lido Guide Emma Pusill heralds the opening of a brand new 50m open air pool – the long-awaited…
Want to learn more about river swimming? Try kayaking

Whether learning how to find the fastest flow of water or avoiding hazards unique to rivers, Simon Griffiths suggests trying…
Cheese and onion sandwiches

River dips in the Swale in what felt like an endless summer. Jonathan Cowie shares his memories of river swimming.
Swimming in rivers: how dangerous is it?

Conservation experts The Rivers Trust report that only 14% of rivers pass good ecological health, while no rivers pass good…
Interview with Olympic swimmer Hector Pardoe

Olympic Marathon Swimmer Hector Pardoe tells us what happened in Tokyo and how elite open water swimming could be made…