View from the Water

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

After a summer spent swimming exclusively outdoors, I’m strangely reluctant to return to the pool

Would you choose this or a pool? I typically swim four or five times a week in a pool. At…
If not now, then when?

English Channel swimmer, open water coach and swimming teacher Joanne Jones writes a personal view on returning to the open…
How to keep swimming fit during the coronavirus pandemic

Thinking about keeping fit for swimming while there’s a coronavirus pandemic raging may seem, at best, a little odd, or,…
Is the open water still open?

At the time of writing leisure centres and swimming pools are closed and the government has advised us to avoid…
Seven reasons why an enforced break from swimming might be good for you

There’s been lots of social media chat this week about whether outdoor swimming could be acceptable as your allocated one…
When and how might we get back to outdoor swimming?

I’ve previously written about the impact of coronavirus on businesses involved in or connected to outdoor swimming (see “How Coronavirus…
How to cope with life when you can’t swim

My working assumption is that everyone has bad stuff in their lives to deal with: traumatic events in the past,…
Alternatives to swimming: the pros and cons

Does anyone remember those times before coronavirus? In that previous life, people would occasionally ask me, how do I find…
How to swim one million metres in a year

To swim a million metres in a year you need to average 83,333.3m per month or 19,230.8m per week. If…
Nine years in outdoor swimming and still going strong

I launched Outdoor Swimmer magazine (H2Open as it was known then) in February 2011 – nine years (and 75 issues)…
IISA British Ice Swimming Championships 2020: a bit too warm, but a whole lot of fun!

Joanne Jones reflects on the IISA British Ice Swimming Championships 2020 which were held at Sandford Parks Lido in Cheltenham.…
How to swim 10km with Marathon Swims

Last November I completed a 10km pool swim with Marathon Swims at the London Aquatics Centre. The event has a…
Nominate your Outdoor Swimmer Unsung Heroes

Outdoor swimming is all about community, so we want to celebrate the Unsung Heroes who make a difference to your…
Nominate your Outdoor Swimmer Unsung Heroes

Outdoor swimming is all about community, so we want to celebrate the Unsung Heroes who make a difference to your…
What an incredible few days in the world of open water swimming!

Along with the rest of the world we watched in awe as Sarah Thomas completed the FIRST EVER 4-way English…
Where are you swimming this winter? And how to make the most of it.

Last week we tested some neoprene accessories, posted pictures on Facebook and asked what Outdoor Swimmer readers would be doing…
Tempted by swimrun? How should you go about adding running to your swim training?

Last weekend I ran 30km. It was the longest run I’ve done in about 30 years, and my legs let…
A swimmer’s paradise on Ullswater

We sent Outdoor Swimmer team member Joanne Jones for a night in Another Place Surrounded by beautiful hills and glimpses…
What’s coming up in the August 2019 issue of Outdoor Swimmer magazine

Our August 2019 issue is at the printer and will be on its way to subscribers early next week (w/c…
What do we mean by outdoor swimming?

Outdoor swimming, open water swimming, wild swimming… what’s the difference? Outdoor Swimmer is a magazine for people who love swimming…
Bassenthwaite Swim Babes

Ella Foote joins a women-only group in the Lake District All the lakes and beauty in the Lake District and…
Riding the incoming tide up the River Waveney

Last weekend’s Waveney Swim ticked a lot of boxes for me, not least that we swam upriver on an incoming…
Bude Open Water Swimmers

Ella Foote enjoys the vibe at Bude Sea Pool The overriding feeling I have about my swim with the Bude…
For swimmers by swimmers – new issue of Outdoor Swimmer Magazine out now

Outdoor Swimmer is an independent magazine published by swimmers for swimmers. And just to prove it, the new issue has…
Great North Swimrun 2019 – winning in the rain

Great Swim added swimrun to their programme in 2017 and it’s grown in popularity every year. With three distances to…