FEATURES

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

Club of the Month – #ChesterFrosties

We have a lovely home swim spot on the River Dee, Eccleston Ferry, near Chester. You can either ‘dip in’…
A few reasons why swimming isn’t a waste of time

Last week the Telegraph posted a story with the alarming and misleading headline: “Most swimmers are wasting their time, say…
Suits vs Skins

As the winter approaches fewer of us are braving the cold and heading out into the open water, preferring the…
Wetsuits in the English Channel

"Non!" says Hannah Young The English Channel is the ultimate long distance swim and people come from all over the…
Water is dangerous; swimming is relatively safe

The recently released statistics from the Water Incident Database (WAID) show that 321 people drowned in the United Kingdom in…
I love open water swimminmg: Babs Gray

On 16 December 2015 I celebrated my 49th birthday. A week earlier I had become a grandmother and six weeks…
Glow Swimming: a new way to experience open water

As a triathlete, at most events I’m given the same things on registration. Swim hat, timing chip, race numbers and…
Don’t let the clock spoil your open water swim

Last weekend I took part in Swim Serpentine, a new open water event on the UK calendar. It ran over…
Macmillan All Out Swim

For the past few months we have been following Sam Brett, who is taking part in the 5km Macmillan All…
Club of the Month

Panama Swimming Club The Panama Swimming Club in Whitley Bay was founded in 1930 but there has been a sea…
‘I want to swim an ice mile, how do I train for it?’

What is an ice mile? An ice mile is a one-mile swim under International Ice Swimming Association rules in water…
You Asked, Cassie Answered

The Beijing Olympics 10km marathon swimming bronze medallist answers your questions on dyslexia, diet and swimming with her eyes closed. What does…
Team Work

After flippantly agreeing to join a teammate on an English Channel relay swim – organised by Aspire, the UK’s leading…
Swimming with the Sharks

We all enjoy wild swimming, but I want to inspire you with another type of swimming: wildlife swimming. All swimmers…
‘N’ice to know

It may seem strange to be reading about winter swimming in summer, but last winter more of you seemed to…
Seven Ways to Become a Better Swimmer

What does becoming a better swimmer mean to you? Your first thought might be that better equates to faster. For…
How dangerous is lightning to swimmers?

Can you swim in a thunderstorm? Are you safe beside the water? How can you avoid lightning strikes when swimming?…
Make me dizzy

Situated in the Scottish Inner Hebrides, between the impressive islands of Jura and Scarba, is a narrow strait of water…
Ask the Experts

I’m a 46 year old female who took up swimming again about three years ago. I’ve done a few Great…
A tale of two swims

This weekend I took part in two very different swims. The first, the Great Newham London Swim, had more than…
Film review – Unbelievable: The Chad Le Clos Story

Well, that wasn’t what I was expecting! I thought I was in for something like Cool Runnings but with a…
Club of the Month

Beyond the Blue “I’m alive!” The exclamation of joy from every swimmer who joins Beyond the Blue as they make…
Staying on message

On a hot, sunny afternoon earlier this month I went out for a paddle on the Thames and came across…
Swimrun: your next challenge?

If you haven’t yet heard of swimrun, you are about to. The Swedish endurance sport has hit the UK big…
Top Six Outdoor Swimming Books

This is by no means a definitive list of outdoor swimming books: it is a personal selection confined by the books…