View from the Water

Gain a fresh perspective as swimmers share their unique viewpoints and reflections on the world from the water's edge.

Chilly willy combobulators, leaping off waterfalls and our pick of the best swimming events of 2019

Hello 2019! The January issue of Outdoor Swimmer magazine is out now 😁Make sure your new year starts swimmingly and…
Spring swimming

This bank holiday saw many open water venues open to the public for the first time this year as swimmers…
What I learnt from Vidösternsimmet 2019

Billed as Sweden’s longest and toughest open water race, Vidösternsimmet is a 21km (plus a bit) end-to-end swim of a…
Can you do it all in swimming?

Image: if racing in the pool tempts you (especially during the colder months) then give it a go. Well, that…
Don’t panic… but take action

On Saturday 3 August, the main story on the frontpage of The Times ran under the headline: “No river safe…
Trends in outdoor swimming in 2019

Simon Griffiths looks at trends in outdoor swimming in 2019 At the end of April, we invited people from across…
The Ponds – a delightful film packed full of swimmers’ humour

I’m just back from watching “The Ponds”, a film by Patrick McLennan and Samuel Smith that documents a year in…
The act of doing inspires others

Ella Foote meets Martin Dorey, founder of the #2minutebeachclean movement “We might as well go and sit on the beach…
Why some swimmers are wary of SH2OUT

Swim wild and free. It’s something we love to do, and we don’t like anyone else telling us when, where…
Unleashing your inner superhero

Image: Team Outdoor Swimmer at the Cold Water Swimming Championships There is something about putting on a superhero cape that…
Outdoor Swimmer’s Joanne Jones tackles Red Bull’s Neptune Steps

At Maryhill Locks, Glasgow, for a few days each year, a stretch of the Forth and Clyde canal is transformed…
Training sessions 1 to 14 February 2019

In August 2019, I’m aiming to swim 21km (plus potentially a little more) at Vidöstern Simmet, which is billed as…
Training sessions July 2019

In August 2019, I’m aiming to swim 21km (plus potentially a little more) at Vidöstern Simmet, which is billed as…
Training session June 2019

In August 2019, I’m aiming to swim 21km (plus potentially a little more) at Vidöstern Simmet, which is billed as…
Challenge of the month – take a friend swimming!

Every month in Outdoor Swimmer magazine we set a challenge. Past challenges include cold water synchro swimming, how many hats…
Training sessions May 2019

In August 2019, I’m aiming to swim 21km (plus potentially a little more) at Vidöstern Simmet, which is billed as…
Training sessions April 2019

In August 2019, I’m aiming to swim 21km (plus potentially a little more) at Vidöstern Simmet, which is billed as…
Getting comfortable being uncomfortable in preparation for Neptune Steps

“Today we’re going to simulate Neptune Steps event, as close as we can without having you climb over the walls.…
Training sessions 1 to 15 March 2019

In August 2019, I’m aiming to swim 21km (plus potentially a little more) at Vidöstern Simmet, which is billed as…
What’s coming up in our January issue

In magazines, you always work ahead of the calendar. It’s something you’d think we get used to, and mostly we…
Tackling the 200m fly

Last year, along with lots of open water events, I decided to have a go at the 200m breaststroke at…
Help hold Thames Water to a higher standard

Image: A outfall draining into the Thames The London Waterkeeper, a charity dedicated to cleaning up London’s waterways and defending…
Six brilliant things about swimrun

I’ve just returned, buzzing, from this trip to Croatia and Ötillö Swimrun Hvar. We’ll have a full report on the event…
View from the water – We need to teach our children how to stay safe while swimming

We need to teach our children how to stay safe while swimming, says Simon Griffiths On Friday 14 July, I…
Making winter swimming easier

Inland water temperatures in the UK have, in many places, now fallen into single digits, where they’ll probably stay until…