April 2026 ‘Urban Swimming’
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This month, we dive headfirst into urban swimming. Not the tiled and chlorinated kind, but the brave, buoyant act of seeking wild water in the middle of towns and cities. Across the globe, the Swimmable City movement is gathering pace. Communities are rolling up sleeves, testing water, clearing litter, building steps and ladders, persuading councils and municipalities that our rivers and docks can be more than scenery. If you make space for swimmers, people will come. They will come for their mental health, their leisure, for the sheer joy of swimming outside. And in doing so, they help local economies and become guardians of the blue corridors that thread through our streets.
Recently, I was part of a round table in Umeå, Sweden, where organisations are working together to make the river truly swimmable. The energy in the room was unmistakable. The barriers were not engineering or appetite, but old ideas about who water is for and what cities are allowed to be. It left me wondering how many other rivers are waiting, not for cleaning, but for permission.
As an inland swimmer, my own love affair with rivers began out of necessity. Living in a town, if I wanted open water, the River Thames was my only option. That first plunge was less romantic than determined, but it cracked something open. One river led to another, and suddenly the map of my life was traced in currents.
Inside this issue, you will also find reader swims including Helen Bishop’s three lake challenge, event reports from winter swimming in Oulu and Skellefteå, training, gear and coaching wisdom, interviews with author Gillian Best and Olympic swimmer Toby Robinson, and travel pieces spotlighting the River Thames and Fife. The water is closer than we think.
Ella Foote, Editor
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- Best jammers, briefs and shorts for outdoor swimmers
Whether you’re after a flexible fit for training, thermal fabric for core warmth or a lightweight hybrid short for impromptu dips, we’ve got you covered with our guide to the best jammers, briefs and shorts for outdoor swimmers. - Meet Surfsmile founder Ryan Jean
Surfsmile Founder Ryan Jean started his organisation after his experience volunteering with a children’s surf therapy charity. Today his brand combines his love of surfing with a mission to support mental health - Open water swimsuits for all bodies
Whether you’re looking for spaghetti strap training suits or more modest coverage, body positive styles or longer body lengths, we have found your next swimsuit! - Swimming the shires west of London
Philip Nice, author of the new book Wild Swimming Walks Thames and West, shares his five favourite walks with wild swims along the way - Urban blue
Jharna Kumawat discovers how the water could offer some relief from a business itinerary while on a recent trip to Zurich, Switzerland - Dive into Fife: Scotland’s pocket of sunshine
Ella Foote heads to Fife, Scotland and discovers that the sun really does shine brighter and longer on the East Coast, even in March! - Which swimwear materials are actually sustainable?
These days, swimwear can be made from recycled fishing nets, plastic bottles, wood pulp or even beans! But which materials are truly sustainable, while providing the performance we need in the water? - How improving posture can improve swimming
Effective breathing is central to swimming performance, so improving posture is one way to positively impact your swim technique, says personal trainer Liz Lowe - Love your local leisure centre!
Build a balanced training programme all in one place, says fitness coach Vivienne Rickman - Alice Dearing: “My most intense urban swims”
Bath-like temperatures, last lap currents and jellyfish: Alice Dearing shares her most intense urban swims - Lengthening your swims
April is about lengthening your time in the water, lengthening your stroke and lengthening your attention span so you can stay present as conditions change around you, says editor Ella Foote - From health struggles to a life transformed by swimming
After years of chronic illness and recovery from brain surgery, Victoria discovered that swimming – both in the pool and outdoors – gave her strength, clarity, and a renewed sense of purpose - Strengthen your core in the pool
One of the most effective (and often overlooked) places to build a powerful, stable core is the swimming pool, says swim coach Nicola Butler - Swim away the pain
Can cold water help with chronic pain? Rowan Clarke asks philanthropy writer, author and swimmer, Gillian Best - Weekend swim retreat: Lime Cross Nursery, East Sussex
Weekend escapes with a swimming opportunity – Ella Foote shares her experience of the ÖÖD House at Lime Cross Nursery - Three lakes, one swim: solo swimming across the UK
Helen Hislop shares her 59.9km odyssey through Scotland, England, and Wales, revealing the preparation, endurance and awe-inspiring beauty behind her record-breaking Three Lakes UK Challenge - Still looking for a swim challenge to motivate your training this year?
Here are two events to choose from that can transform your swimming into positive action helping make sure millions of people access clean water - Event Review: Winter Swimming World Championships, Oulu, Finland
Ice, sauna and auroras – Rowan Clarke discovers the wonders of racing in the ice in Finland - Event Review: Winter Swimming World Cup, Skellefteå, Sweden
Ella Foote travels to Northern Sweden to take part in the Winter Swimming World Cup in Skellefteå and learns that swimmer’s creativity and eccentricity continues despite the freezing conditions - Sea of change
Rowan Clarke hears from the city lido connecting young people with the water - It’s never too early to start
Dr Hussain Al-Zubaidi reveals how early positive experiences with movement and outdoor environments can shape habits that last a lifetime - Myth busting: is cold water immersion bad for women?
Recently there have been suggestions across social media about how cold water immersion is “bad for women”. It sounds authoritative, but it’s not supported by evidence, says Dr Heather Massey - Alice Dearing interviews Toby Robinson
Alice Dearing sits down with Paris 2024 marathon swimmer Toby Robinson to speak about the work he is doing to make swimming in urban waterways in London a reality and a right - Is urban swiming really more accessible than wild swimming?
Adaptive swimmer Sophie Etheridge shares the surprising obstacles she encounters in purpose-built urban pools - City dippers
Why is city swimming important? Rowan Clarke finds out - Claiming access to swimming may be easier in cities
Urban waterways can be places we cherish, celebrate and care for, says Simon Griffiths
