700 people took part in the World Winter Swimming Championships in Bled in Slovenia in January 2010. Patricia Baker, a member of the Outdoor Swimming Society and the South London Swimming Club spoke to Anna Morell about the swimmers at Tooting, and the club’s trip to this most extreme of winter sports events.

“We acclimatise by degrees, starting in July. I only manage to get to Tooting once a week, but it helps to acclimatise gradually – by December, Tooting Bec Lido was about one degree.

‘Many of us do it for the camaraderie – to meet, to chat and have coffee. There is a bench at Tooting dedicated to Bob Fitch whose wife Doreen helped keep the Lido open. Bob was 83 when he had a heart attack coming out of pool. He had swam there for over eight years, and that was how he wanted to go. We like to sit on his bench and think about him.

“We go to enjoy ourselves and keep out of hospital beds. One Club member is on crutches. It takes him thirty minutes to get from his car to swim but he does two widths daily. It’s good exercise for the elderly – less effort. We get quite cross when the pool has to close.

“The World Winter Swimming Championships are held every two years. The first one our Club attended was in Finland in 2006. In 2008, they came to Tooting Bec, and in 2010 it was Bled. The pool at Tooting was judged to be too warm (six degrees) for some people at the last Championships, but ironically this year it was colder in London than it was in Bled.

“This year, there will be 30 of us going from the South London Swimming Club, competing with people from around 25 nations. There tend to be be a lot of Americans, Canadians, Russians and Germans.

“We tend to go for the bravado rather than the competition, but there are prizes to be had for the keen. The Championships have a range of categories, but the majority of our Club swim the 25m head-up breaststroke in different age groups. The winners and runners-up of each heat go forward into the finals. I tend to get knocked out in the first round. As for the temperature – what’s one degree? You get on and do it. There is so much cameraderie, and an awful lot of people older than me do it.”

Tooting Bec was originally called Tooting Lake. Doreen Fitch was nominated for Unsung Hero in the BBC Sports Personality of the Year for her work keeping it open.


Anna Morell, February 2010

2010 is the 200th anniversary of the swim to put open water swimming on the map: Byron's epic swim across the Hellespont. Join OSS member Dave Lowe (who won a place as a prize in the December Dip raffle) and other swimmers in a crossing to celebrate it.  See international events for more details.

See the Youtube video.

It’s the simple question that swimmers who attended the OSS Plum Pudding Plunge may have been asked by friends, family and colleagues when they told them what their plans were for the weekend. Why?

Why did you get up on a December Saturday morning to jump into an unheated outdoor pool?  Why didn’t you just stay in bed? 

As they looked over the stainless steel-lined Lido – reflecting back the stark winter sunlight – and saw the temperature reading for the water was six degrees (two degrees warmer than a fridge) it was obviously a question that many people who attended were also asking themselves. 

As someone correctly said: “It’s freezing just standing here”. 

No one denied that the water was stingingly cold, one person even described the feeling induced as being “concerned that you might die”, but this very fact led to people emerging energised and revitalised. 

‘Exhilarating’ was a frequently used word, and another swimmer, Suzanne, a Londoner, justified the swim on the grounds that its cathartic effect was ‘cheaper than psychotherapy’. 

In the conditions, two widths were enough for most people, although not all. Lee, Fi and Tom from the OSS East Anglia group nonchalantly confirmed that they had each completed about 18 widths. As regular cold water swimmers, they were acclimatised to the temperature and assured me that after a few widths the initial shock subsided. 

The social aspect of the event was also important. Another London swimmer said that it was good to be around “lots of other people that don’t make me feel too mad”, while Ray, from the East Dorset Open Water Swimming Squad, as well as enjoying the swim itself, saw the occasion as “a good excuse for a pint of Guinness”. 

Ultimately, all who attended had done so simply, in the words of one swimmer: “for the sheer fun of it”. And given that, in the euphoric glow post swim, not one person could be found who regretted jumping in, those who wondered: ‘Why?’ would perhaps have been better off asking themselves: ‘Why not?’ 

There’s always next year…

Jonathan Knott, January 2010

There is a man from Yorkshire who walks up a hill every day. At the top of that hill he finds a beach. At the edge of that beach he finds water. Every day – whether he needs to apply sun cream to his skin or an ice-pick to the surface of the water – he jumps in for a swim.

Gaddings Dam is one of a pair of early 19th Century industrial reservoirs high above the Pennine town of Todmorden in West Yorkshire. Dating from the reign of William IV (1830-37), The Dams were built originally to supply water to local industry and are reputed to have been built using convict labour from Manchester – indeed, some of the stones in it are said to still bear the Government arrow. Since then the dam has been used for a variety of purposes including being used as a venue for a prize fight between two men from Whitworth in 1890 (36 rounds), and as a target-practise rifle-range for the troops during World War 2.

Today, the Friends of Gaddings Dam are still very much active in the upkeep and restoration of the Dam, and it is not unusual to spot one of them up there diving to the bottom for rocks to maintain the wall or similar. They are understandably cagey (health and safety) about the Dam’s function as a venue for outdoor swimming, but the swathes of folk who wander up there prove the swimming purpose clearly enough. While there are no formal events which take place there, the weekends preceding any big national swims show the Dam to be well used by outdoor swimmers from all over the north. 
 
If you fancy a dip, you must park your car about a mile away, strap on your walking boots and ascend the hill – it usually takes about 15-25 minutes. If it’s a particularly hot day, you might find when you get to the top that several others have the same idea as you. Some may be naked. Some of the naked ones have been known to be able to offer you a cup of tea freshly made on a camping stove in exchange for a wee natter.

To be a Friend, visit http://www.gaddingsdam.org.uk/ and email one of the members. You will be asked for a donation of £10 to go towards the upkeep of the dam, and in return they will send you a copy of their newsletter, keeping you up to date on new developments the group has undertaken, such as the recent addition of a measured circuit (500 metres).

Nadine Pitman, January 2010

Sarah Tunnicliffe is a key member of the OSS Team, galvanizing swimmers to meet up with her all round the country. Sarah is also building up a Lakes and North Yorkshire network for the OSS, organising swims in the sea, rivers, lakes and tarns in the area, as well as galvanizing the OSS facebook group with her bright ideas and swimming vim. She tells us what her New Year’s swimming resolutions are.

2009 – the year seems to have gone by so fast again.
 
At the OSS festive swim on Sandsend Beach near Whitby on Boxing Day last year I decided upon a different New Year’s Resolution for 2009: to do as much outdoor swimming as possible in lots of different places.
 
I’ve kept a journal of all the swims I’ve done this year and what a brilliant set of adventures I’ve had, meeting some great people across the country and making firm friends along the way. From swimming in the River Thames passing through snow covered meadows, with seals in the sea off Norfolk, former glacial lakes, challenge distance swim, tarns and under the full moon, each having been memorable in different ways.
 
As the end of 2009 approaches I’m still getting out the swimming kit (admittedly with the wetsuit now) and heading out. As I head back to Sandsend Beach again on Boxing Day for the next OSS festive swim one thing I will be taking forward into 2010 is my resolution. Come join me, the water’s lovely.

Sarah Tunnicliffe, January 2010

Wild swimmers with exceptional tales to tell mingled with the crowd at the OSS Plum Pudding Plunge at Parliament Hill Lido. Wearing red aprons, their mission was to inspire and enthuse others to undertake new adventures in 2010. They didn’t disappoint. Here are some of their stories.

Richard swam up the Thames from Lechlade to Teddington in a week. He completed the 125 mile journey in five days, spending approximately 13 hours in the river daily, covering 25 miles and stopping every hour to eat in the water. 

The Thames appeals to him over other rivers because of its sense of history. Far from being polluted, the river is, he says, ‘a lot clearer than you would imagine’. The only obstacles to progressing all the way to the mouth are gaining permission from the relevant authorities (for some stretches, you might have to ask the Prime Minister) and navigating past any boats that might get in the way. 

Julie Pickard completed a four person channel relay swim, where she swam for one hour intervals before handing over to another team member. Far from being intimidated by the unknown depths, she finds it ‘lovely’ that you don’t know how far the ocean stretches beneath you. She is now tempted to take on the ultimate challenge of a solo channel swim. For more on Julie‘s swim, see the story ‘Swimming a channel relay’ which we ran in November 2009.

Frank Chalmers is the only person ever to have swum the treacherous eight-mile Hell’s Mouth crossing between mainland Scotland and the Orkney Isles. Warned about the dangers of killer whales, at one point he shuddered to see a shadow beneath him. As the shape grew nearer, however, it became clear that it was a seal – which, after inspecting him sceptically, decided to swim alongside him. It was joined by others to provide some unexpected company for a stretch of the crossing. 

Despite the arduous physical and mental demands placed on these swimmers, it was obvious that the delight of being outdoors and close to nature was still uppermost in their minds, and one of the main reasons they kept getting back in the water. 

Jonathan Knott, January 2010

New OSS member Mary Webb decided to prepare for the Plum Pudding Plunge by joining the South London Swimming Club on their annual winter lido crawl. Here, she shares the highboards, the lowboards, the swans and the dives with us.
 
Thanks to seeing it in the OSS newsletter, I decided, in my dubious wisdom, to go along to the winter Lido Crawl organised by the South London Swimming Club (SLSC).
 
I have to tell you that I am a bit of a novice when it comes to cold-water swimming. My one and only venture into this almost-unknown territory was the Great London Swim this year. I enjoyed it so much that I decided to join the OSS and try to do more outdoor swimming.
 
I'd already signed up to do the Plum Pudding Plunge, but was a bit apprehensive about jumping into a lido in December with you guys without taking at least one plunge before the event.
 
And, lo and behold, the opportunity arose with the SLSC Lido Crawl!
 
We met at Tooting Bec Lido at about 7.30am for the first dip. I was warmly welcomed by the members of the SLSC and coldly welcomed by the water – eight degrees and very cold for a beginner like me.
 
A quick change and a kindly offer of a lift to the next venue and we were off to the Serpentine. We had quite a wait whilst the club members finished their races, but then we were in – mass-jumping from the jetty and swimming with the Canadian geese (which stubbornly refused to get out of the way, making the swim a bit slalom-like at times!)
 
Another quick change and another car ride to the next lido. Some members cycled from place to place, and weren't very far behind those in cars!
 
The Parliament Hill Lido is a joy. Stainless steel-lined and HUGE – we had a most enjoyable swim there. Hot drinks and carbohydrate snacks were provided (I wish I'd found out who made the brownies - they were amazingly good!) and we were joyously welcomed there as well.
 
The final swim, for most of us, was a short walk away over Hampstead Heath. We were privileged to be allowed to swim in the Men's Pond after sending in an all-male advance party to pre-warn those already there. Much amusement was had, with the guys (and some of the gals) showing off on the springboard and the higher-level platform. For me, this was the most enjoyable and beautiful of the swims. Maybe because I'd got used to the cold water by then and it was, officially, the last swim of the day.
 
One final change and my kind chauffeur took me back to Tooting Bec, where I'd left my car. Foolishly, I happened to mention that as we were going back to Tooting Bec, maybe we should do one final, swim there, just to get one over on the rest of the gang. I was joking. He wasn't. So in we went again to take one, last, shivering, exhilarating, amazing swim.
 
Acclimatised and exhilarated, I couldn’t wait for the Plum Pudding Plunge.
 
Mary Webb, January 2010

If you had to assign one attribute to the kind of people who jump into ice-encrusted lakes for fun, it would probably be: weird. But, if pushed for a second, I bet it would be: healthy.

Overweight, lethargic, bad skin, thin hair. These are not adjectives often associated with those crazy cold water enthusiasts. Try: athletic, youthful and toned with good complexions and lots of energy. So, what's their secret? What are the real health benefits of regular exposure to cold water and are they available to normal people without masochistic tendencies?

1. Boosts your immune system

For your body, a sudden and drastic change in temperature constitutes an attack – as anyone who's ever fallen overboard in British waters will concur. And, whilst “attacking” your own body may not sound like a good thing, there is no harm in keeping it on its toes. In fact, quite the opposite.

Scientists from the Czech Republic immersed witting subjects in cold water for one hour, three times a week and monitored their physiology. They found significant increases in white blood cell counts and several other factors relating to the immune system. This was attributed to the cold water being a mild stressor which activates the immune system and gives it some practice.

2. For an all-natural high

Winter swimmers talk a lot about the ‘high’ they get from cold water – a feeling of wellbeing that's so encompassing that it becomes quite addictive (who doesn’t want to feel truly good, at least once a day?) The cause? Endorphins.

Endorphins are the body's natural pain killers and, in the case of a cold dip, it uses them to take the sting away from your skin. So, to get high on your own supply, all you need to do is jump in a river.

And if you think that sounds dangerously close to the pleasure/pain barrier then you're probably right. The two other primary causes for endorphin release are pain and orgasm.

The cold will also stimulate your parasympathetic system, which is responsible for rest and repair, and this can trigger the release of dopamine and serotonin. These neurotransmitters are a vital part of keeping us happy and low levels of them are linked with depression. Couple this effect with the endorphin rush as you take the plunge and it should make for a warm glow and a wide smile when you re-emerge.

3. Gets your blood pumping

Being hot brings blood to surface. Being cold sends it to your organs. Both extremes work your heart like a pump. That's why the whole sit in the sauna, roll in the snow, sit in the sauna thing makes people glow. But why is increased blood flow good for you?

Well, it helps flush your circulation for starters, pushing blood through all your capillaries, veins and arteries. It will exfoliate your skin and flush impurities from it, thus helping your complexion (firm-bodied women of all ages around pool sides say it stops cellulite). Evidence also demonstrates that your body adapts to the cold with repeated exposure and this may improve your circulation, particularly to your extremities - no bad thing in the winter months.

You could get these benefits by switching between the hot and cold taps in your shower (or the sauna, snow, sauna thing) but that doesn't sound nearly as fun as quick dip in your local pond followed by wrapping up warm afterwards.

4. Improves your sex life

The suggestion of a cold shower might bring forth images of hot-headed young men trying to quell wanton urges but research paints a different picture.

In a study with a similar format to the one described above, participants took daily cold baths and were monitored for changes. In addition to some similar results to their Czech counterparts, these researchers also found increased production of testosterone and oestrogen in men and women respectively.

In addition to enhancing libido in both sexes, these hormones also play an important role in fertility. In fact, one technique recommended for men looking to fatherhood is to bathe their testicles in cold water every day.  Whatever your procreative desires, a dip of a different sort certainly could add an edge to your sex life.

5. Burns calories

We all know that swimming is great exercise but there are some extra benefits from doing it in the North Sea that you just won't get from a warm wade in the Med.

Swimming in cold water will make your body work twice as hard to keep you warm and burn more calories in the process. For this sort of exercise, fat is your body's primary source of energy and the increased work rate will increase your metabolism in the long run.

Tim Moss runs adventure website www.thenextchallenge.org and got into outdoor swimming when he had to cross the Solent as part of a charity triathlon last year. We’re hoping for more of his research into swimming in the next few months.

Tim Moss, November 2009

On 12th November the Outdoor Swimming Society gave evidence at the Welsh Assembly in favour of the right to swim. See BBC Democracy Live to watch the footage. (The OSS appears at minute 47, but you are warmly encouraged to listen to the session right through to the end). 

In England and Wales there is no clear right to swim enshrined in law: while walkers, climbers, cyclists and other lovers of outdoor spaces have good clear access to the countryside, swimmers and water users have little clarity about where they can and can't legally enter water. (Owning a riverbank, riverbed or fishing rights does not mean that you own the water, and the right to swim in it).

In Scotland, the 2003 Land Reform Act gave Scots the right to roam (which encompasses the right to swim) and the National Assembly for Wales is currently considering adopting a similar legal framework. We are strongly in favour of this. It would open access to miles of beautiful inland waters, bringing, we believe, benefits to water users (health, happiness) and the Welsh economy (thought increased tourist revenue).

In September OSS lawyer Nathan Wilmot, from Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP), submitted written evidence in favour of the implementation of this new statute that would ensure that everyone has access to inland water in Wales, on an equal footing. You can read the submission here (PDF format).

You are urged to add your voice to the debate (which is currently dominated in Wales by anglers and canoeists) by:

• Encouraging everyone who loves swimming who you know to sign up as members of the OSS at www.outdoorswimmingsociety.com NOW! The bigger our membership base, the  louder we will be heard).
• Visit the Welsh Assembly bus at the following locations on the 20th and 21st November, where it is gathering video evidence, and speak up for swimming. At these sessions the Committee are keen to hear from people who have not previously given evidence to the Committee on this topic. 

1. 1. Friday 20 November  - Gwydyr Hotel, Holyhead Road, Betws y Coed between 11.30 and 12.30 AMs present: Mick Bates and Brynle Williams
   2. Friday 20 November - Queens Square, Wrexham between 16.00 and 17.00. AM present:: Mick Bates
   3. Saturday 21 November - Guild Hall Square, Carmarthen between 9.30 and 10.30. AM present: Mick Bates
   4. Saturday 21 November - Welsh Assembly Government Office car park, Merthyr Tydfil between 14.00 and 15.00. AM present: Mike German.

Thank you to Nathan Wilmot and Adam Jamieson at lawfirm BLP for making our presentation valuable and possible. And thank you to all our fundraising members who enable us to carry on with our work.

PLEASE EMAIL THIS COPY TO FRIENDS!

Place your vote for the right to swim now!

Love swimming?  Want to see fewer 'no swimming' signs tacked on to trees (poor trees)? Then place your vote for swimming now by signing up to the Outdoor Swimming Society.

The OSS is campaigning for greater access to water for swimmers, so water lovers enjoy the same freedom to enjoy the outdoors as walkers, climbers and cyclists. 

On 12th November the OSS gave evidence to the Welsh Assembly in favour of a new statute that would ensure everyone has access to inland water in Wales. Scots already have this right. We would like it in England to. Vote for swimming. Join the OSS.

The more members we have, the more loudly we will be heard.

Join OSS! 

Kate Rew, November 2009

The poor, humble, sidestroke. It just doesn’t seem strenuous enough. Elegant enough. Popular enough. Mention sidestroke, and the average swimmer lumps it together with doggy paddle as a faffy, go-nowhere stroke.

But sidestroke is actually an extremely efficient stroke, beloved of US Navy Seals, lifeguards and long distance swimmers. It was an Olympic stroke until the mid-1980s and in winter it comes into it’s own, keeping the face and head away from numbing freeze as you glide along, with a great view of migrating birds and bare trees.

The power in sidestroke comes from two places: a strong scissor kick and a broad sweep of the uppermost arm. As you swim, remember to enjoy the glide.

To begin the stroke, the swimmer should lie on one side, stretching the underside arm out as far as possible above the head, keeping fingers straight and holding the hand with its edge towards the water’s surface. The other hand goes across the chest, its back against the lower pectoral.

Legs are scissor-kicked, with the lower leg working the hardest. The underside arm is brought round in a broad sweep, until the palm of the hand almost touches the underside thigh. At the same time, the left hand makes a similar sweep, but is carried down towards the legs, as far as it can go. These motions are repeated. The swimmer can switch sides periodically according to personal comfort.

Youtube has a sidestroke tutorial here and an underwater view of sidestroke here.

Mastering the stroke will give a good view any time of year and may have added benefits: writer Charles Sprawson (author of Haunts of the Black Masseur) always uses the stroke over deep water, on account, he says, of being afraid to look into its depths.

Anna Morell, November 2009

Want to make keep up to date with open water legislation and make some noise about what is happening with the management of our wild water? From access to cleanliness, here’s a round up of the main pieces of water-related legislation currently making waves in government:

Welsh Assembly Inquiry into Access to Inland Water

In Scotland swimmers have the right to swim, which may hopefully be given to Welsh swimmers soon. To read more about this see the Welsh Assembly’s Inquiry into Access to Inland Water. The OSS submitted a response to the Inquiry and you can read the submission here (PDF format). Kate Rew has been invited to give evidence on behalf of the society at the Welsh Assembly’s Sustainability Committee  on 12th November.

Environment Agency report

The EA has responsibility for keeping British rivers clean,and recently published an Environment Agency (EA) report on their cleanliness. The report reveals that seven out of 10 English rivers and nine out of 10 Welsh rivers achieved ‘good’ or ‘very good’ status in terms of chemical and biological water quality in 2008 and that water quality is the best it has been for a quarter of a century.

The Guardian drew some different conclusions from the data, reporting that out of 6,114 English and Welsh rivers, only five meet the criteria affording them ‘pristine’ status.

Water Framework Directive

The EA is working towards the EU’s Water Framework Directive, which the British government signed up to in 2000, Under this directive Britain is legally required to ensure that 95% of its rivers are in what the Framework terms ‘good’ condition by 2015 – the bar for which is set higher than the EA’s current definition of ‘good’.

The River Basin Management Plans is part of work towards this directive, and the final version of this will be released on 22 December. You can view the draft plans here.

Our Rivers campaign

Our Rivers is an umbrella campaign supported by the RSPB, WWF, The Angling Trust and the Association of River Trusts, which allows local swimmers and other water users to ‘adopt a river’ and feedback to the site on it’s condition.

They are hoping to encourage people, by adopting their rivers, to become more environmentally aware and when necessary contact  MPs, local media and the Secretary of State for the Environment, the Rt Hon Hilary Benn MP

The campaign, invites people to stand up for their local rivers. Its website has a river map of the UK which allows users to add a map pin with comments about their local river’s cleanliness and.

Marine and Coastal Access Bill

The Marine and Coastal Access Bill is a huge piece of legislation covering all manner of marine management. For coastal leisure users, it is intended to “ensure clean healthy, safe, productive and biologically diverse oceans and seas, by putting in place better systems for delivering sustainable development of marine and coastal environment.”

While there is a general right to swim in coastal waters, it remains subject to (a) access rights from the shore, which may be restricted; and (b) any byelaws or specific legislation that may prevent swimming in certain areas - in particular in ports and harbours.

The Coastal Access Bill will reduce shore restrictions, opening up more of the sea to swimmers. 70% of our coastline is currently accessible to walkers, although access is sometimes poor. (A map of current accessibility can be seen here). But the Coastal Access Bill will give us full access to the coast. It’s expected to take at least a decade to become a reality, but the first major new rights of way are expected to be opened by 2013. 10% of the coast is likely to remain off limits because of genuine inaccessibility. Exactly how much more swimming this will give us remains to be investigated (access to a coastal path will often be on a cliff), but it can only be a move in the right direction.

The Bill also pledges to introduce new tools for the conservation of marine wildlife to protect marine biodiversity and promote recovery where practicable, support healthy functioning and resilient marine ecosystems and ensure environmental considerations are at the heart of decision-making processes.

The Bill is in its final stages of development, with the Lords set to consider Commons amendments made at the end of October on 11 November.

Anna Morell, November 2009

Julie Pickard joined the OSS as a novice outdoor swimmer in July 2007. Two years later, she swam the English Channel as part of a relay team. Here, she shares the story of her swim, from inspiration to completion:

“I joined the OSS in July 2007, taking part in the OSS Breastrokes swim in the Serpentine and the OSS December Dip, and  then the next summer I joined an OSS trip around Burgh Island and down the Aveton Gifford Estuary. I had never done anything like this in my life – it was a huge leap for me, racing, being in the cold, wearing a wetsuit, and swimming in the sea. Burgh Island swim was my first-ever sea swim, and I was nervous swimming out from the shore to the island. But I really enjoyed it and they were instrumental in leading me to explore more.

Soon after the Burgh Island swim I was invited to join a Channel swim relay team. I began focusing on my training that September, swimming at Parliament Hill all through the winter, wetsuitless, and staying in for as long as I could each time. I also swam as often as possible without gloves or socks. I’d met a swimmer called Sally Goble at the December Dip and she was a real inspiration to me -  I kept thinking that if Sally could spend all those hours in the Channel then surely I could do one more width… then length…

I did a diving course, not so much because I wanted to dive off high boards, but because I 
was afraid of jumping off the boat into the Channel and thought this might help me to get over the fear. Jumping off the three-metre board was one of the scariest things I've ever done. I was convinced I'd die before I got to the water. I never made it to diving off the three-metre – jumping was enough!

And I did the OSS advanced coaching session with OSS Patron and Olympian Cassie Patten in London Fields the next January. Something she said in the session proved to be crucial for me on my first swim in Dover Harbour. She talked about using the forearms for pulling, not just the hands. What I absorbed from what she said was that for the pulling part of your stroke you should use the whole forearm and hand, not just the hand. She also gave me some tips about sighting and general body position in the water.

I continued on through the winter at the Lido, as well as sessions once at week with Cally Masters over at Cally pool in Islington. Even though I could only go once a week, these fitness swims pushed me far beyond what I ever imagined I could do, in terms of time and stamina and overall fitness. I started swimming at Dover Harbour in May. It was brutal: the sea water is 10-11 degrees and you start off swimming for 20-30 minutes – none of this five or ten minute stuff that you might do at Parliament Hill! You also don't wear gloves or socks in the harbour and you can't get out in a hurry either, so it's a whole different concept of mental toughness and endurance. I was terrified.

It was on my first Dover Harbour swim that Cassie's advice really kicked in. First, when I was out 
near the west wall of the harbour, my hands went numb. But then they began to feel as if they had no bones and were completely powerless. I was quite a distance from shore. There was nothing to do but swim into shore and my hands were temporarily useless. It was the longest I'd ever been in at that temperature and that far from shore. Then I remembered Cassie's comment about forearms. And that's how I got back to shore – by ignoring my hands and thinking about and using my forearms. It was only on this first session that my hands got that cold and blubbery-like (they looked completely normal though). I adjusted, both physically and mentally) and the water got warmer too!

I continued with sea swimming as much as possible: Brighton Beach with the Brighton Swimming Club, the east coast of France, the Bournemouth Pier to Pier (truly wicked conditions this year) and at Dover Harbour as much as possible.

With encouragement and direction from Freda Streeter down at Dover Harbour, I pushed my training up to doing a three-hour non-stop swim without any feeding and then a four-hour swim with feeds starting at two hours.

I never let up, I just kept pushing harder and harder. It was actually quite difficult to wrap my head around this as I've never done triathlon or other competitions. I've swum for enjoyment, for relaxation, but realised that to do the Channel I really had to step up more than a few notches.”

To read what happened on the day, see A description of the Channel Swim is on the swim map.

Julie Pickard, November 2009

The Corryvreckan is a whirlpool in the Inner Hebrides in Scotland. For most of the day and night the maelstrom rages, with a ferocity than can be seen and heard 8km away on shore, and then for about half an hour it calms down enough for swimmers to make it across. On 11 October two members of the OSS were invited to swim it by local Ali Macleod. Here is the story, as written by one of the swimmers, Diana Appleyard:

“On Saturday 11 October, as the winds of autumn swept over Argyll a small group of wetsuit-clad swimmers wondered if they might have bitten off more than they could chew. The swimmers concerned were Hazel Manson, Laura Blowers, Lorna Macgregor, Pete Robertson and Diana Appleyard from the Mid Argyll Tri and Cycle  Club, and were joined by Kate Rew and her friend Michael Worthington from the fast-growing Outdoor Swimming Society.

“The swim across the 0.6 mile stretch between Jura and Scarba is not to be taken lightly. At high tide, the water rushes through this stretch at 8.4 knots and creates a fascinating series of whirlpools and water patterns, due to a deep hole and rising pinnacle beneath the surface. At its height, the Corryvrechan is known as the third biggest whirlpool in the world.

“The challenge depended on making the swim at slack water. This only occurs for about half an hour a day, and the weather has to be calm. Ali Macleod has been using his extensive knowledge of weather charts and tides to work out the best time, and the small group set off from Ardfern at about 12 that day. They traveled on board Ali and Sally's boat Eala, and the team was supported by Chris Floyd in his RIB and Hazel's husband Andrew Manson in his boat, helped by Lorna's son Angus.

“The trip out was enlivened not just by sightings of sea eagle, porpoises and seals, but by Sally, Gilly and Hazel Whiston's cups of tea, sandwiches and biscuits. We arrived at the whirlpool by about one, and then sat for an hour waiting for the slack water to arrive. Conditions were not absolutely ideal, but by now everyone was determined to make the swim. Eventually Ali gave the nod, and in groups of three, the swimmers lowered themselves into the dinghy and then into the very cold sea. Touching the rock on one side, they set off, encouraged by cheers and shouts.

“The crossing was reasonable, although it felt much further than 0.6 miles! As each boat led us on, we tried to keep track of each other in the increasing swell. After about twenty minutes the sea was really quite bouncy indeed, and Ali admitted the slack water window was closing. The first to touch at the far end was Laura Blowers in an amazing twenty-two minutes. Kate, Michael and Pete swam quickly too, and then Hazel, Lorna and Diana touched Scarba in thirty to thirty-three minutes. Hazel and Diana were feeling the effects of the sea, as it was not only cold but very choppy towards the end. Lorna, on the other hand, discovered her inner seal and was beaming from ear to ear. We have now decided she is a selkie.

“Welcome cups of tea and food back on Eala, and the crew and swimmers headed home. It had been an amazing swim, and everyone was buzzing from the experience. Ali and Sally provided a lovely meal with wine that evening, which really rounded the event off.

“Ali’s open water group has been hugely successful this summer, gathering more and more members to try out its unusual but satisfying pleasures. In this area there is such a variety of sea, loch and river swimming we can never get bored, and the challenges grow. This was a very big achievement for everyone concerned, and the challenge is now on to find bigger swims next year!

“Open Water will continue through the winter ( you have Ali to blame for this) and details will be posted on the OSS Facebook group to for any members who wish to join. Most will probably be lochs, but sea swimming is promised at Christmas and New Year. Ali says without wetsuits but we shall see!”

Find the Gulf of the Corryvreckan on the OSS Swim Map

Diana Appleyard, November 2009

Sean Bennett has been competing in triathlons for two decades. His family are all keen triathletes and open water swimmers and brought him into the OSS fold earlier this year. Every day, Sean looks out of his window and sees the Humber Bridge. He has always wanted to swim under it, and last year, along with a number of fellow triathletes from the Barracuda Triathlon Club, and a lot of safety logistics, he did, starting at Spurn Point and ended at Cleethorpes, a 4 mile stretch across the second busiest shipping channel in the world, with extremely strong currents. The seed was sown for finding iconic, challenging A to B swims.

Before swimming, Sean, researched the water with another swimmer, Pete Wilkinson, who had also done, it and worked with harbour master to navigate a safe channel. He then swam it with The Daisy Appeal, a local medical research charity. The distance and difficulty of the swim were a major pull for Sean and his team. He tells us how he swam this most difficult of industrial estuary waters.

“The Humber is a large tidal estuary on the east coast of Northern England. It is formed by the confluence of the River Ouse and the River Trent, and an average of 120 ships cross the river every day, making it the one of the most treacherous navigable rivers in the world.

We set off from Grimsby Docks with our pilot, Pete, to attempt the swim from Spurn to Cleethorpes.

The weather is near perfect, the water above 20oC. We wait on the windswept sandy beach whistling the tune to Robinson Crusoe. He sailed a short hop from here, from Hull. Large ships go by. Suddenly, Pete gives us the nod and we are off.

We round the point, the current takes hold and we start moving, out to sea! The shipping lane and deep water channel run very close to Spurn. Big ships pass very close. Pete leads us expertly across and soon we are amongst the ships at anchor. There is no time to lose.

About half-way across, seals – larger than us – join us. Two hours in, at the second fort, we turn and start swimming against the waves, swimming alongside the beach until Pete shouts at us: “Stand-up!”

We have finished. Immediately it is difficult to hold the boat with the currents. We are waist deep here, but as we motor back, suddenly find ourselves aground on a sand bar. We arrive at the dock only to find ourselves locked-out. In near darkness, we dock, pleased with the day.”

This is a highly dangerous swim few should attempt. See the OSS swim map for more details.

Sean Bennett, November 2009

New OSS member, Paul Irwin, recently took part in a swimming first: a 4-man relay crossing from Lundy Island to Woolacombe beach. It’s a 21 mile stretch of sea as the crow flies – on a par with the English channel. The water is deeper, though, the currents faster and the weather more fickle, making it complicated to calculate a course to a safe sandy landing.

Paul has been a keen surfer since his teens. Sea swimming is part and parcel of being confident in the water so, ever since he can remember, he has been out on open water swims when the weather allows. He’s a keen triathlete and, while not massively experienced, he loves a physical challenge. With Lundy Island always in view on the horizon, it seemed an obvious choice when Paul decided he wanted to undertake a more ambitious challenge than ever before. 

While the choice of challenge was an easy one, the preparation for it was much harder. Building the team and planning the event took the best part of a year, during which the swimmers trained regularly with Woolacombe surf life saving club.

The day before their attempt, conditions were far from perfect. The team sailed out to Lundy Island on a flotilla of 8 yachts through a 2 metre swell and gusts of 30 knots. But the weather was forecast to improve so they made the decision to go ahead. On the morning of the crossing the swell had reduced to 1.5 metres and the winds were much lighter. Here is Paul’s account of the experience:

“The realisation that this was it came on the beach on Lundy. Looking out we faced the North Devon coast in the distance, and a bay dotted with our support boats. That moment will stay with us for a long time. The nervousness from the sail was over, all the apprehension about plans and contingencies evaporated. It was now all about us – that familiar silence when you're in the water, concentrating on stroke and breathing, the need to pace correctly and to keep enough in the tank to do the extra mile if necessary.

“We started at 08:07. Four of us swam the initial 200m to the support boats and Simon Mathers carried on for the first 40 minutes, a tough leg against the tide. Each changeover took place in the water. We had no plans for the 'tag' but it quickly became the norm to give your fellow swimmer a strong handshake – that was a good feeling after smashing through swell and chop for an hour, to get an acknowledgement of your effort for the team.

“After Simon's first stint we each did legs of between 40 minutes and an hour depending on the sea state and our progress against the navigation plan. John Jameson acted as our swim tactician. He ensured the right swimmer was in the water at the right time, an example being Bruce – he's an endurance beast, so his mid-channel contribution at the peak of the tide was a great decision.

“We agreed at the outset that we would all be in the water for the final leg and we kept to this. We swam in to the beach as a pack and body surfed to the shore together at 15:10. There was a huge rush of adrenaline with the achievement. I think we all felt a bit emotional walking up the beach. We had a great crowd to greet us – friends and families lined the shore – that was a special moment.”

Paul only discovered the OSS after his swim but is of the view that this is better late than never. “I’m really keen to find out about swims others have done around the UK,” he says, “and maybe we can entice OSS members to join in the next event.” Consider the gauntlet thrown down!

Paul and his team raised money for the North Devon Children’s Hospice. If you’d like to sponsor them post-swim their Justgiving page is still open. 

UPDATE: A YouTube video is now available.

Paul Irwin, October 2009

Viva la lido!

October marks the end of the summer swimming season, and is when many lidos close their doors for the winter months. There are, however, a smattering of outdoor pools that stay open year round, some heated, and some seeing temperatures dropping to a few degrees by Christmas.

If you are looking for somewhere to train through autumn and winter or you just like the zingy feeling of an occasional swim in colder water, here are details of the ones we know of. Get in touch if you hear about others and we will add them to the list.

To embrace winter swimming in unheated water, go regularly throughout autumn: as the water drops below 16 degrees the body can acclimatise if you swim a few times a week.

In and around London:
Hampton pool – Heated. A lovely lido in Middlesex.
Tooting Bec lido – Unheated. A 100 yards long lido in south London with a thriving swimming club that meets every morning and does races at the weekends. Join the South London Swimming Club to swim through the winter season.
London Fields lido – Heated. A 50m lido in Hackney, north east London. Join the OSS swim fitness course there on Sundays throughout winter.
Parliament Hill lido – Unheated. A 60m lido by Hampstead Heath in north west London, open for morning sessions only.
Oasis lido – Heated. An outdoor pool in Covent Garden, central London.

Outside of London:
Aquavale – Heated. An outdoor pool in Aylesbury.
Bristol Lido – Heated. An outdoor pool in Bristol that is part of a gym and spa. Winter membership to the pool is £210.

Many thanks to Oliver Merrington of www.lidos.org.uk

OSS member and staunch supporter Colin Hill has been nominated to win the World Open Water Swimming Man of the Year. Please vote for him!  Colin has been nominated for doing more to change the face of outdoor swimming in Britain during 2009 than anyone else. His invention - the Great Swim series   - has introduced 10,000 people to the joys of outdoor water this summer, and is set to form a mighty diving board from which thousands more take the plunge over the next few years.

As a society we are looking for a tipping point where rivers and lakes are returned to the masses: where everyone feels they have permission to swim outdoors, and has the inspiration to do so. We recognise the importance of mass events such as Great Swim in giving people the focus and feeling of safety they need to swim outdoors for the first time, and with that in mind, a vote for Colin is a vote for the OSS. To place yours, and see the nominees for Woman of the Year, just click on thewaterisopen.com. 

Voting is now open!

As a side note, Colin swam the channel on 26th September, starting out from Dover at 3.48am with a stroke rate of 30 strokes per minute and arrived, like some aquatic metronome, at Cap De Gris looking exactly the same in a sterling time of 10 hours, 30 minutes (4 minutes faster than David Walliams). Congratulations, Colin!

Kate Rew, October 2009

Lewis Gordon Pugh, the man who swam across the North Pole in 2007 (and came to the OSS December Dip in 2007 to talk about it) has a new challenge for 2010: swimming the Khumbu Glacier, 17,000 ft up Mount Everest, to raise awareness of global warming. He expects to be immersed for 20 minutes wearing nothing but trunks, and is training for the event on Dartmoor, "I spend a lot of time in the Arctic and every year I see less and less sea ice and glaciers retreating" he says. See the BBC for more.

Kate Rew, October 2009

In September the OSS joined many other water users in submitting evidence to the National Assembly for Wales in support of statutory access to inland waters.

The hope is that the ‘right to swim’, which is now enshrined in Scottish law, will be introduced in Wales, giving everyone access to the health-giving and mentally rejuvenating lakes, llyns, rivers and streams that map out Wales.

‘OSS strongly supports the recommendation of the Petitions Committee to implement a new statute that would ensure that everyone has access to inland water in Wales, on an equal footing, to be supported by enforceable codes of conduct to ensure that the interests of all water users can be properly respected,’ wrote OSS legal advisor Nathan Wilmott from Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP).

‘The legal position concerning access to inland water under the laws of England and Wales is fundamentally in need of reform.  The laws governing rights of access to (and restrictions on the use of) inland water are immensely complex and piecemeal, being derived from a combination of very old case law, miscellaneous statutory provisions and local byelaws. 

‘Perhaps more importantly, there is a great deal of uncertainty about what the law actually permits, even where legal advice is obtained.   Much of the case law is contradictory and unclear as to its scope.  There is uncertainty as to whether laws relating to commercial uses apply to recreational uses, and whether laws relating to certain types of access to inland water (for example, rights of navigation) extend to other types of access (for example, swimming). 
In short, the current legal position in Wales is uncertain, inaccessible and confused.  It is near impossible for members of the public to know whether or not they have a legal right to swim in many of our rivers and lakes.

‘Outdoor swimming has always been a popular recreational activity but in the last few years it has witnesses a renaissance as individuals rediscover the joys of swimming in the rivers, lakes and lochs of the UK. 

‘The health benefits of swimming are very well documented. Encouraging greater use of inland waters for swimming will help to keep the Welsh fit and healthy.   Participating in swimming outdoors also results in strong feelings of wellbeing and vitality.

‘Clarifying and simplifying access rights will also bring financial benefits to Wales.  Given the huge popularity of outdoor swimming and the wealth of beautiful inland waters in Wales, greater numbers of swimmers from elsewhere in the UK will wish to travel to Wales to swim in its inland waters.  The benefits to the tourism industry in Wales will be clear and significant.
Negotiated rights of access

‘The OSS does not agree with the alternative suggestion that negotiated rights of access to water would be sufficient to avoid having to clarify the laws relating to rights of access to inland waters. 

‘The nature of outdoor swimming is such that it is not feasible to negotiate rights of access at each location that individuals wish to swim.  While this may be a form of solution for a small number of permanent outdoor swimming clubs, the vast majority of swimmers engage in outdoor swimming on a more ad hoc basis.  As a result, if it were necessary to negotiate individual rights of access with a series of property owners before swimming could take place, then people would simply choose not to travel to Wales to participate in swimming.  This is not a workable solution to the current problem.

‘In conclusion, the OSS strong supports the proposals to clarify and simplify rights of access to inland waters in Wales, supported by an enforceable code of conduct to ensure that everyone’s interests are properly respected.  We consider that the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 provides a useful blueprint, to be modified as appropriate in Wales.  This will bring significant benefits to Wales in:

• bringing tangible health benefits to Welsh swimmers, as well as feelings of wellbeing and vitality;
• reducing conflict between different water users resulting from the current complex and uncertain legal position; and
• increasing the numbers of visitors to Wales, thereby supporting the Welsh economy.

We therefore strongly encourage the National Assembly for Wales to implement the proposal.

To read the full OSS submission, go to the Welsh Assembley site
and read submission SC (3) – AIW430

 Kate Rew, October 2009

The pioneering nature of OSS members, their ceaseless inventiveness, courage and drive as they find new swims to swim, is one of the joys of the society.

Whether it’s free diving with wild seals (Kari Furre, Devon – an occupation with obvious dangers that needs to be undertaken with sensitivity), pioneering a lake to lake route via 7km of river (Jon Shilling and Michael Worthington, from Derwent Water to Bassenthwaite in a flooded River Derwent) or ticking off all the tarns in the Lake District (Peter Metcalfe) there are always hundreds of you out there finding new ways to enjoy water.

In September special mention goes to:

• New OSS member, Paul Irwin, who recently took part in a swimming first: a 4-man relay crossing from Lundy Island to Woolacombe beach. It’s a 21 mile stretch of sea as the crow flies – on a par with the English channel. The water is deeper, though, the currents faster and the weather more fickle. Read his account of the experience on the OSS site.
• Julian Crabtree: the new hero of all the society members who attended the Great Swims. ‘A challenge is a challenge and I am ready for it’ said Julian, before he embarked on swimming every leg of every Great Swim in less than 30 minutes, many of them back to back (at the Great North Swim he swam 12 miles a day, back to back, on the Saturday, and then repeated on the Sunday). Grace, speed, determination… and a large streak of British quirkiness in a native South African.

Both Paul and Julian are considering their next adventures, which may include more OSS swimmers: watch this space.

Kate Rew, October 2009.

For our more intrepid or peace-seeking members who feel the lure of night swimming, OSS has published a calendar of full moons with sunset times. Claire Samwell got together with other OSS members for one of the first socials-by-night at Calshot beach in Hampshire on 4 September.  Here she tells us why she thinks nothing beats a swim at night:

“I have swum in the sea at night time for many years during the summer, though have yet to venture in come winter. Night swimming in summer is, quite simply, glorious.

“It has an element of scariness that makes it stand apart from swimming in the day. When I say scary, I mean scary in a good way. There’s the thrill of risk taking and the excitement of imagining what is around you that cannot be seen with the naked eye.

“The sea feels warmer than it does during the day. Getting in gives me a sense of being completely enveloped and transported somewhere magical. I begin to feel truly free as the worries of my life are washed away from me and I become enchanted by the wide, wondrousness sea.

“A full moon makes the experience even more delightful. It creates a golden path that highlights the movement of the sea in mesmerising patterns.”

Note that there are huge safety considerations involved in night swimming so our advice is not to do it.  And, of course, don’t drink and swim.

On the weekend of 8th and 9th August, a group of OSS swimmers met up in the Lake District to swim Buttermere and Crummock. We received two accounts of the weekend. First, our own Sarah Tunnicliffe, swim organiser and participant, records her experience of the two swims and her own personal mission. Second, Jeanette James whose husband, Mark, is an OSS newcomer, tells how by happy coincidence their 3 day stay in the Lakes coincided with Sarah’s swimming challenge and how a social swim can be just as much fun on shore as in the water:

SARAH TUNNICLIFFE: “Earlier in the year I decided that I would undertake a series of seven swims to try and raise money for Cancer Research UK (www.justgiving.com/sarahtunnicliffe-greatnorthswim09). Within this schedule, I wanted to undertake a personal challenge swim over a longer distance in the Lake District.

Well the months soon zipped by and on the morning of Saturday 8th August I found myself standing on the edge of Crummock Water with a lovely group of 11 other OSS swimmers to swim the return distance of the Lake (5.4 miles). The conditions were perfect – sunny with just a gentle breeze. We swam as small groups, enjoying watching the sunlight chase across the fells along our journey. At the halfway mark after 2.75 miles the group took a break and devoured the supplies of sandwiches, flapjacks and hot drinks. Then I set out again for the final 2.65 miles with three of the swimmers. It was great to have their support, particularly when I felt a little tired on the final leg – not forgetting, of course, the great support crew onshore waiting for our return.

Following a refuel in the local pub on Saturday evening, 13 OSS swimmers reassembled at 9am on Sunday for a 3 mile swim in Buttermere. The lake looked beautiful as we walked down to its edge, almost glass-like, due to the lack of wind. It felt brilliant to be getting into the water again in such a beautiful setting. As passed Crag Wood we could smell bacon being cooked by some campers and a few of the swimmers were very tempted to nip ashore for a quick bite! Luckily more hot drinks and flapjacks were waiting for us at the southern end of the lake. Following a little rest we set off back to the north shore of the Lake and the end of the challenge.

It was such a great sense of achievement to complete the swims, and wonderful to share it with such a great bunch of swimmers. In the pub on the Saturday evening we even began to talk of plans for a 10km challenge swim next year in the Lakes!”

JEANETTE JAMES: “With the impressive Mellbreak and Whiteless Pike silently presiding over matters, we – my two daughters, Ruby and Wallis, and myself – waved off the Crummock Twelve from the lake’s southern shore.

They’d only been gathered as a group for a few minutes – some only just meeting for the first time – but after introductions and a team photo, they were united in their anticipation of the swim ahead of them. Yes, there were a few pre-plunge nerves, but I could sense they were a supportive bunch all out to enjoy the morning to the full.

The girls and I acted as one of the support groups, transporting some of the swimmers’ picnics and gear from the start of the swim to the halfway point at the boat house on Crummock Water. I comforted myself with the fact that though my orienteering could do with improving, it’s quite difficult to lose a lake! While the swimmers had been doing all the hard work, by the time we’d driven down one side of the lake and reached the boat house we were only a few minutes ahead of them.

So what did Mark think of his first OSS swim? “For me it was the exhilaration of getting into the cold water and being out in the open in a completely different way,” he said. It’s also an alternative way of meeting and getting to know people other than in the pub – although it’s nice to do that too after a swim. The views were stunning – it’s a way of seeing the Lake District from a new perspective.”

As for Ruby, Wallis and I, while we didn’t get into the water, we still felt very involved in the swim and it was great to hear the different experiences the swimmers had. The girls thought it was a great adventure and got really excited when the first group of swimmers came into view at the halfway point. Who knows, they may soon join the growing ranks of OSS swimmers. I also picked up some energy-packed picnic ideas – anyone for a cheese and date sandwich?”

We welcome more swimmers tales – if you’ve done a great swim recently, please send details in for the map , and if you’d like to write something for news, send to news@outdoorswimmingsociety.com.

Sarah Tunnicliffe and Jeanette James, August 2009

This article by Kate Rew appeared in the Daily Mail on 15th August 2008.

When 18th Century doctors directed patients to seaside resorts such as Brighton to 'take the cure' they probably had little idea how many ailments - physical and psychological - would be linked to bathing in the future.

But at the Peninsula Medical School in Plymouth, research is about to begin on the power of water to soothe our ills.

Through a campaign called the Blue Gym, which launches next month, GP Dr William Bird and Professor Michael Depledge, chairman of Environment and Human Health at the school, will track for two years the health benefits of outdoor swimming in rivers, lakes, the sea and lidos - but not canals or reservoirs, where the water does not move quickly enough to be clean. 

'The aim is to prove the benefits of outdoor swimming and other watery activities, so that the NHS can use the outdoors to get people healthier,' says Dr Bird.

'GPs already refer patients to the outdoors through health walks and the Green Gym programme and we want Blue Gym to follow that.'

Swimming is one of the best all-round cardiovascular exercises, as it uses (and tones) all the main muscle groups simultaneously. A 130lb person will burn approximately 240 calories every 30 minutes of moderate swimming.

'Most people are slightly overweight and out of condition, which means their joints wobble and that can lead to wear-and-tear arthritis,' says Dr Bird. 'Swimming helps you lose weight and build stabilising muscles without putting a load on joints.'

The Blue Gym will measure calorie use and mental health benefits through a project with my organisation, the Outdoor Swimming Society.

Nature has been shown to increase wellbeing, speed healing and reduce stress and depression. While swimming indoors is relaxing, outdoors it takes swimmers into an almost meditative, rejuvenated state, which has a knock-on effect on major diseases.

'Chronic stress can be measured in the blood by testing for hormones and proteins we know occur naturally as a result. These chemicals are linked to heart disease, diabetes, stroke, depression and pretty much every Western chronic disease, including cancer,' says Dr Bird.

'What we want to find out is if taking people outdoors reduces stress enough to reduce the damaging inflammation.'

Cold water also has health benefits. Far from dampening male ardour, cold water boosts fertility. It also leads to a powerful release of endorphins - the outdoor swimmers' high.

Colin Hill organises the Great Swim (www.greatswim.org), which takes place across the UK this summer. He said: 'Cold water adaptation is the physiological response where, in the space of a few weeks of swimming, you expand the time you can spend in cold water and go from finding it chilly to almost addictively pleasant.'

According to studies carried out by Nasa, the physiological changes include reduced blood pressure and cholesterol, reduced fat disposition and inhibited blood clotting.

Because there is safety (and fun) in numbers, most outdoor swimmers tend to join events such as the Great Swim and societies such as the Outdoor Swimming Society. There are more than 200 outdoor swimming clubs across the UK.

One member, Bella Hughes, 47, took up outdoor swimming last summer. 'I am 5ft 2in, and last summer I weighed 16st and was pre-diabetic,' she says. 'I've tried all my life to lose weight. Swimming has been my answer: I've lost four-and-a-half stone so far.'

Bella has been swimming in lidos and rivers all summer. 'Being able to see trees, the combination of air and nature, makes me happy in a simple way,' she says. 'In a pool, you know what you are going to get. Outside, it is always an adventure.'

Mr Hill has more than 10,000 people joining his Great Swims and says the goal of taking part is likely to make health benefits even stronger.

When you ask what Bella is aiming for, it's clear how much swimming has become a part of her life. 'I'd really like to do the Lake Geneva race in a relay,' she says. 'It is 22 miles, so I need to lose more weight.' 

Kate Rew

•  Wild Swim, by Kate Rew, is published by Guardian Books, £14.99.