Readers' Swims
Immerse yourself in fellow swimmers' personal narratives, sharing their swimming stories and memorable experiences.
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Treading Water pt 1: the start of my training for an open water event
For her first ever open water event, digital journalist and beginner swimmer Abi has signed up to a 4-mile swim…
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Martyn Webster: How swimming has enriched my life
"Swimming has enriched my life immeasurably in so many ways. I feel that I have gone through many chapters and…
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Our favourite swim stories and challenges of 2023
From Nordic odysseys to record-smashing channel crossings, it's been a remarkable year for open water swimmers. Here we share some…
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Heather Palmer: my first swimrun
For her first ever swimrun event, reader Heather Palmer took on the As Keen As Mustard Grafham Water challenge. Here's…
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Swimming to Freedom
In September 2023, Matt Newbury and his friend Queenie Martin attempted to swim from Robben Island to Cape Town, a…
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A Spitsbergen swim
One day, seeking adventure and an icy swim, Jack Bright and his friends decided to take a dip off the…
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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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The internal chatter of a cold-water dipper
Canadian reader Glenda Bonne reveals her innermost thoughts before and after a cold-water swim. Can you relate?
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My fastest skins swim of the 3 Lakes Challenge
Helen Hislop shares her story of becoming the fastest skins swimmer to swim Coniston, Ullswater and Windermere consecutively, with a…
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“Swimming has been my lifesaver”
Derek Yach kept swimming while receiving treatment for cancer – he shares his incredible story with us.
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Our oldest mixed relay across the English Channel
David Rock and his swim buddies tell us about their record-breaking (pending ratification) oldest mixed 4-person relay across the Channel,…
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Unsinkable: Alan Corcoran’s swim of the length of Ireland
Alan Corcoran swam the length of Ireland in memory of his father. He spoke to Jonathan Cowie about his experience.
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Leszek Naziemiec’s Yukon Odyssey
After conquering the 1,000km Vistula River in his native Poland, adventure swimmer Leszek Naziemiec turned his attention to the far…
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Capturing and swimming New York City’s waters
Photography led Paul Frangipane to reconnect to his home city of New York and rediscover his love of swimming
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“I learnt to swim from scratch then took on an English Channel relay”
Hafsa Mughal went from complete beginner to English Channel relay swimmer, all in the space of five months. Now an…
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In memory of Naomi Crowder
Just days before she was taken ill, Naomi told a friend that one of the best days of her life…
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My Dart 10K swim
Carine Evans shares her experience of taking part in an iconic swimming event, the Dart 10K in beautiful Devon.
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Wayne Singleton’s Solway to Silverdale swim
What do you do if you can’t get a slot to swim the English Channel? Rather than sit on a…
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Trash, lice and tankers: a lap around Staten Island
Daniel Shailer shares Leslie Hamilton's story of her record-breaking swim around Staten Island, braving rusting hulks and sea lice.
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Chasing my childhood dream
Epilepsy took away Glyn Marston’s childhood dream of swimming the English Channel. Can he take it back?
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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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Like the birds in the sky
In this beautiful ode to cold-water swimming, Canadian reader Glenda Bonne ponders on what draws her and other "like-minded crazy…
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Shared adventures with Go Dipping
Cold-water dipper Sam Dodge tells us about his community hub Go Dipping, where swimmers can meet and encourage each other…
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A swim against suicide
Irish swimmer Ger Moore has swum the length of the River Shannon (250km) to raise awareness and funds for suicide…
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All the Lakes Without a Break
Outdoor Swimmer catches up with Matt Dawson after he set a new record in the Lake District
