FEATURES

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

Get involved with the Lakes to London virtual challenge

Join Her Spirit's six-week virtual challenge by swimming any distance between 1km and 500km and help raise £100,000 for Breast…
Around the Bays in 80 Days: take on a new Lake District swim challenge!

Calvert Lakes invite you to partake in an exhilarating new Lake District swim challenge, which is open to all levels…
Outdoor Swimmer partners with Climategames

Outdoor Swimmer has partnered with Climategames to encourage subscribers to challenge themselves while helping to restore the planet. Our mission…
Fluitō transforms the sport of swimming and para swimming into a public art installation this summer

An immersive public art installation called Fluitō is coming to Birmingham 2022 Festival this July.
The Ocean Film Festival returns this autumn

Unexpected wildlife encounters, unimaginable feats of endurance and intrepid underwater exploration: The Ocean Film Festival returns this Sep-Nov 2022, bringing…
A geographical swimming challenge: 10 wild swims in 10 counties

A couple from Bedfordshire have completed an outdoor swimming challenge that was as much about geography as it was about…
Advantages of getting older as a swimmer

While perceived wisdom is doom and gloom for swimmers as we get older, there are some advantages.
Diary of a Wandering Swimmer – Yorkshire Lily Pads

Our Wandering Swimmer finds a delightful dipping pond in Yorkshire
Swimming Just like Johnny (Weissmuller)

By Glyn Marston It’s funny how easily it is to be taken back to your childhood, a scenario that feels…
Swimming from Sealand for Aspire

Robyn Carter completed the swim from the North Sea platform of Sealand, setting a new record. The challenge is a…
World Drowning Prevention Day 2022

‘Do one thing to prevent drowning’ is the key message in this year’s World Drowning Prevention Day 2022.
Sun protection for swimmers

Channel swimmer and melanoma survivor, Dan Whitaker explains why sun protection for swimmers is vital in winter as well as…
Cornish teenager completes demanding Eddystone to Plymouth swim challenge

15-year-old, Lowenna North has become the youngest person to complete the 14-mile Eddystone to Plymouth swim challenge.
“A swimming challenge in memory of Dad, my hero”

Twickenham resident, Andy Spencer, is halfway through a year-long swimming challenge – 365 miles in 365 days in memory of his…
My first open water swimming event

Travel writer Phoebe Smith tells us about her first open water swimming event – a half-mile potter along the River Thames…
Racing the tide: an epic 62-mile swim around the Isle of Wight

An Army Neurosurgeon and Major are undertaking a non-stop 62-mile swim around the Isle of Wight, racing the summer tide…
Outdoor swimmers, swim smart in the heat

As outdoor swimmers, particularly those of us that live in a northern European country, our biggest concern is often how…
Professor Greg Whyte takes on Thames swim world record

The swimming coach who helped David Walliams complete an epic swim on the River Thames for Sports Relief in 2011…
Sarah Thomas sets new North Channel crossing record

US marathon swimmer, Sarah Thomas, has set a North Channel record by becoming the first person to complete a two-way,…
Plastic Free July: Five tips for reducing your plastic waste as a swimmer

Plastic Free July is a global movement that encourages millions of people to reduce single-use plastic waste everyday. But how…
Race review – Brighton Swim Classics July 2022

At the beginning of July, I took part in the Brighton Swim Classics, organised by Brighton Triathlon Club. The event…
Understanding tides – and how they can affect swimming conditions

Understanding tides and how they can affect swimming conditions is crucial for sea swimmers safety. William Thomson, author of World…
Swim training when you can’t access the water

Maintaining swimming fitness when you have limited hours requires creativity and planning but it can be done using a combination…
How to rediscover your swimming flow after a break

If lockdown kept you out of the water for a while, you may have lost your swimming flow. Here's how…
Can I train for a long distance swim outdoors in winter?

We received the following question from Ian in Northern Ireland: I’ve entered a long swim in 2022 and I’m wondering…