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There is a perception that you need lots of kit when getting started with wild swimming - in particular, the much maligned Dryrobe. This is not necessarily true. There are people that just dip; there are people who use it as a form of fitness and do lengths. There's adventure swims, where you might be planning A to B swims; there's people that just lie around meditating, or those who love to go night swimming,” Kate says. There is this statistic of only 3% of inland water being legally accessible, which is a bit questionable. A lot of those places, people have been swimming for years and if you were to swim there and bump into landowners or other swimmers, they wouldn’t even be aware that technically they’re not allowed to swim. That’s the case in Sheffield, we have three spots where we assumed we were allowed to swim – even the council thought so. Then I looked into it and you’re not. It goes to show that even where we have the right to roam through walking, that access stops at water. A lot of people don’t realise that – I didn’t realise it for a long time. There’s a big issue, but it doesn’t mean to say you’ll have finger wagging and tutting and shouting as that’s quite rare, but it’s still not good enough when we need equal access and people need to feel they have a right to be there. Is it safe to swim in reservoirs? Kate Rew is the founder of the Outdoor Swimming Society and has established three iconic open water events - Dart10K, Swoosh and Hurly Burly - and spearheaded an international resurgence in swimming outdoors. Dive into the wonders of the popular nature-meets-wellbeing sport with Kate as she brings together the art, sport and science of being an outdoor swimmer and shares everything you need to know to enjoy swims in the wild. Ready to try it out? Kate’s new book, The Outdoor Swimmers’ Handbook, contains decades of accumulated knowledge about planning a swim, understanding different water bodies, and acclimatising to the cold. She’s also given us her five top tips for getting started with outdoor swimming. 1. Coping with the cold Getting into the water slowly will help you acclimatise. Photo: Finisterre Microadventure.
The Outdoor Swimmers’ Book Bundle - Outdoor Swimming Society
Today marked the first day of UltraSwim33.3, a brand new swimming event that has attracted 120 athletes from 23 countries to the picturesque shores of Montenegro. Finding 300 people with the same desire to swim In. A. Lake. drew gasps of surprise and column inches from everywhere in Britain,” she writes in her new book The Outdoor Swimmers’ Handbook, describing one of the society's first events at Windermere. What are the signs that you should get out of cold water, especially if the adrenaline is masking signs? You'll find your breathing becomes regular again, and you'll start to embrace the slightly fresh feeling, rather than be afraid of it,” she explains
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Watch the premiere of Under the Surface, a documentary that follows swimmer Jim Read exploring acceptance after injury, men’s mental health, and what it means to be vulnerable as a man in the endurance swimming world I am super excited to have been able to group it all together in what I hope is a really accessible, beautiful fun to read book. It’s a very poetic kind of handbook, with beautiful community photography (thanks to all the contributors!) and illustrated field guides. So many swimmers have helped create this movement and form and articulate this knowledge over the years – may it help make water accessible to millions more.’ The hat will keep you visible, which will help keep you safe. A tow float - basically a lightweight inflated bag - performs the same function, although Kate doesn’t believe they’re necessary if you plan on staying close to shore. Goggles are also important if you’d like to swim with your face in the water. Kate recommends tinted ones for sunny days and clear ones for overcast days. One of the best-kept secrets in Greece is its brown bear population! We speak to Callisto, a conservation NGO working in the Pindos Mountains, about the fascinating brown bears in Greece If it's your first plunge, do what you feel comfortable with. It really does depend on your biology, the exact temperature of the water, the air temperature,” Kate says.
The Outdoor Swimmers’ Handbook - Outdoor Swimming Society
Hafsa Mughal went from complete beginner to English Channel relay swimmer, all in the space of five months. Now an open water lover, she tells us about her incredible experience being part of Optimum Nutrition’s Channel More project Owen: “I don’t even do front crawl, so I hope not! Just do whatever you want – dance like no one’s watching. As long as your head is above water and you can breathe, do what you like. I do a bit of breaststroke, but a bit strange with one arm over here and the other over there, and I do side stroke as well. It’s just whatever’s most comfortable, not all of us are doing mammoth swims. Make it your own, this is not a race, Get into two foot of water and sit down, if you want. I do that a lot of the time.” Does anything bug you about how outdoor swimming is portrayed? Fear of the deep is very widespread,” Kate explains. “There are so many stories about water. Like Jenny Green Teeth, a witch who would come out of the depths and drag you to your death if you went swimming - that was a way of keeping kids out of water in the past." Water quality has been in the news a lot. Is that something that swimmers need to be aware of before they get in the water?Learn how to handle the fear of deep water Many swimmers have a "fear of the deep", especially on dull days. Photo: Getty. This is a wonderful – in the old sense of that term – and joyful romp of a book. Roger Deakin would have approved. Dive in.” The Outdoor Swimmers Handbook is a really important, inspiring book, written by someone at the heart of the outdoor swimming movement that –– over the last fifteen years –– has encouraged millions of people to experience the wonders and friendships of Britain’s rivers, lakes and seas. Rew’s book combines hard-won, deeply researched information on how to swim safely and joyfully out-of-doors, with vivid first-hand accounts of swims in astonishing places and with remarkable people. The Handbook has a democratic purpose; to give anyone the confidence and the inspiration to begin to swim. Between now and then our community has shared adventure and misadventure, philosophy and practical tips, as we have discovered and articulated what we need to know to swim in lakes, rivers and seas, from how to read weather to how to survive cold. Now Kate has wrapped this collective knowledge on the art, sport and science of swimming in a new book, The Outdoor Swimmers’ Handbook (Rider, also available signed in The OSS Shop).
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On 16 October world-famous athletes Dame Kelly Holmes, Sir Chris Hoy and Ross Edgley will embark on a ‘Tri for the Sea’, to raise awareness for Talisker’s ongoing marine conservation with Parley for the Oceans The Outdoor Swimmers’ Handbook is an accessible, knowledgeable guide to outdoor swimming. It is a brilliant balancing act between practical tips and a passion for the open water. Best of all, it emphasises the sport’s inclusivity; everyone, regardless of age or ability, is encouraged to try outdoor swimming. After you’ve finished reading it, you’ll be inspired to take the plunge too. If you’re unwilling to drop a lot of money on a wetsuit, there’s always the option of using a wetsuit rental company to try out more expensive models, or to buy second-hand. 3. Be the type of swimmer you would like to be Dani is Much Better Adventures' Deputy Editor and the author of a novel, the Arctic Curry Club. She's interested in helping everyone find their inner adventurer, despite obstacles they encounter. Not for records. Not for fame. Not for compensation. But for the genuine joy of venturing into rivers, estuaries, lakes, and sea for a simple dip, a wild swim, and aquatic adventures of all sorts.”Through the lenses of community, the environment and mental health, Toes in the Water is a collection of inspiring stories exploring why the underwater world can have such a profound impact on people. Owen Hayman is a horticulturist, member of the OSS Inland Access Group and founder of SOuP (Sheffield Outdoor Plungers). On insta: @owainhaeman. Kate: There are many varieties of swimming out there, from pottering about to long distance to adventure. The media narrative is that lots of people are swimming because of mental health, anxiety and depression, but a lot of swimmers do it just because they love it. If it’s good for you, I suspect it’s because you’re intrinsically drawn to doing it in the first place. If we do it just because it’s good for us I’m worried it’s giving it a utility or turning it into something for our material benefit. If we do that we’re missing the whole magic of it, which is to sink down into the planet, feel part of nature, completely connected and out of our normal mindsets. That’s not the story I’m hearing, but I’m so glad so many people have joined us, whatever the reason.” Do you have any advice for swimming alone, especially in the sea?
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If you see crashing waves or unhealthy looking foam on top of a river, or currents swirling, then these are danger signals. Don’t make any assumptions that because it was okay the day before it's ok now,” she says.The handbook is a fascinating compendium of knowledge that Kate has acquired over the past 16 years. Outdoor swimming, she explains, is a largely oral tradition, with one person passing on their knowledge and expertise to another. Kate has several strategies for dealing with it. One of them is making sure you have someone swimming with you. Another is counting strokes, and focussing on the feeling of the water against her hands. Safety is a relative term. If you can’t swim, everywhere that’s out of your depth is unsafe,” she says. Features, Conservation, Greece, Rewilding, Case Studies How Hiking is Helping Wild Brown Bears in the Mountains of Greece
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