EXTRA,  FEATURES,  Jan/Feb 2026

A vision for tidal Thames swimming

Could a revived historic swim become a new flagship event for London?

First held in 1877, the Lords and Commons Swimming Cup was contested at various locations in the tidal Thames until 1947. By that time, World War Two bombing had damaged sewerage infrastructure, leading to a big increase in pollution.

Stay up to date with The Dip, our free weekly outdoor swimming newsletter.

Outdoor Swimmer is the magazine for outdoor swimmers by outdoor swimmers. We write about fabulous wild swimming locations, amazing swim challenges, swim training advice and swimming gear reviews.