Somerset is renowned for its beautiful countryside, but have you ever thought about swimming through it? Jonathan Knott shows us the sweet spots.

Many people automatically associate swimming with visits to cramped and humid local pools, but outdoors, away from the constraints of lane ropes and leisure centre staff, it becomes an altogether more tranquil and uplifting experience. 

Water has always been important to Somerset, and its many rivers provide an abundance of superb outdoor swimming spots.  Britain's rivers are now cleaner than they have been at any time in the past twenty years, and growing numbers of 'wild swimmers' are discovering that there really is no better way to experience nature at close hand than jumping straight into it. 

In Somerset, the slow-flowing river Brue is the perfect location a leisurely swim. The village of West Lydford (on the Brue, near to Glastonbury and Castle Cary) offers perhaps the only church swim in the country, and in summer, lilos and rubber rings are a common sight on the stretch of water near this village. Rob Fryer, who runs the Farleigh and District river swimming club (located on Somerset's North East border, and the only remaining river swimming club in the country) says that a popular swim begins by jumping off the bridge near the church (check the depth first) before swimming the 100 or so yards down to the weir.

A little further downstream, Flight's Hole, near Baltonsborough, is a popular swimming spot with residents of Glastonbury and Street. A number of footpaths converge here, making a dip in the river the ideal way to cool off after a country walk.

Roger Deakin, author of the classic wild swimming book Waterlog, wrote of his enjoyment swimming in the Somerset levels. After stumbling across the perfect swimming hole near Ilford bridge on the river Isle, he promptly plunged in for a dip, arguing that "if the river was good enough for otters, it was good enough for me."

Swimming is also popular in the River Frome, near Farleigh Hungerford (see photo), and in hot weather locals gather for a cooling swim at Claverton Weir on the River Avon, near Bath.

But the locations mentioned here by no means offer an exhaustive account of good places to swim in Somerset. The best spots may be those that you find yourself. Just remember never to jump into water if you don't know what's under the surface, to respect other water users (such as those fishing and on boats), and that land owners have the right to ban swimming should they decide to. And always locate an easy exit point before you get in. 

With such an array of swims on offer, why not take the plunge this summer and see the county in an entirely different light? Instead of chlorine, you'll feel the softness of fresh water, and the only whistle you'll hear will be from birds in the trees above you.

Jonathan Knott, May 2010

Taking on an 3 mile swim is a challenge for anyone - but for London swimmer Stephen Lightbown it's something on an entirely different scale. 

Paralysed in both legs after a sledging injury aged 16, Stephen will in his own words be 'learning to swim again' as he trains for a swim in Llyn Gwynant, Snowdonia for the spinal injuries charity Aspire on 13th August. 

Stephen has regularly taken part in land races, such as the recent Manchester Shine half marathon, but initially experienced some frustration with his swimming training. 

Despite putting in plenty of pool time, the speed in which he was covering distances meant that he would not be able to complete the required distance in a realistic time. 

However, in sessions at the Aspire pool in Stanmore has been learning to swim putting his head underwater, allowing him to swim front crawl and cover distances in much faster times.  Since overcoming the physical and psychological barriers and mastering the new technique, he has made rapid progress. 

To prepare for the Aspire swim, Stephen hopes to enter the Great London Swim on 3rd July (1 mile), and afterwards take on further distances - with a channel relay swim his ultimate ambition.

He says that swimming allows him a great sense of freedom to be out of his wheelchair.  Stephen thanks OSS members for the advice and support they have provided through discussions on Facebook. 

Read more about Stephen's training for the swim on his blog and Twitter.  He aims to raise £1,000 for Aspire, which supports the 40,000 people in the UK living with a spinal injury.  You can make a donation on Stephen's JustGiving page. 

Jonathan Knott, May 2010

Mike Alexander has been a dedicated member of OSS since 2006, during which time he has picked up tips from Lewis Pugh and Cassie Patten. Last December he left his teaching job in London to lead treks across Costa Rica, during which time he has been finding great swim spots en route.  Here he gives his secrets to finding good swim spots abroad.

My passion for outdoor swimming was born back in 2001 when I was working as a web developer in San Francisco. I joined the Dolphin Swimming and Rowing Club in San Francisco Bay, just opposite Alcatraz, and swam every other day. I loved the coolness of the water, the space to play, and I often thought of Clint Eastwood's character in Escape From Alcatraz. What a great way to escape prison.

When you think of the Pacific Ocean and California you may be tempted to imagine warm water. Well you'd be wrong - the water in the Bay averaged at 12 degrees Celsius during my time there. My brother experienced this when he was over on a visit. Shortly after venturing into the Bay he turned back to the changing rooms pretty sharpish, shocked by the cold. As he was making his way back he saw an "old guy" jump in, casual as you like, and perform a smooth crawl. My brother, inspired by the "old guy", promptly launched himself back in and ended up staying in the water longer than me. This very fact - that we can be inspired and inspire by just jumping in - has stuck with me ever since. When I discovered the OSS years later I was made up.

Mike's advice for finding great swimming spots:

1. THINK MOUNTAINS

Mountains are the best arena for rivers. Cool, fresh, deep, shallow, fast, slow, but always invigorating. Getting involved with mountain rivers always soothes my soul and energises my mind and body. The colder the better. Rivers often lead to lakes and, although not as fun, allow you to really stretch out and actually swim.

2.  FINDING A SPOT

The best places I have swum abroad generally aren't places where people go swimming so relying on locals generally isn't an option. You are best getting the local map, heading into the hills and seeing what you can find. If you are experienced with map reading and mountain walking this is relatively easy to do. If not you could combine your search for swim fun with another water-based activity: kayaking, canyoning, trekking, gorge walking. All of these pursuits are catered for more than outdoor swimming is, at home and abroad. By partaking in these activities you'll find some great spots that you can enjoy at the time or come back to. Obviously all of these pursuits may present some danger, but always remember they are all a great deal safer than driving on the motorway.

3.  TAKE THE PLUNGE

So you've found somewhere that looks great for a quick dip or a long soak...but no-one else is swimming. Is it safe?  Am I mad? You can answer these questions in your own time but never be put off by the fact that no-one else is doing what you want to do. These questions ran through my mind when, en route to Costa Rica, I called in on a friend in Arizona. We went hiking around Mount Lemon and discovered a pristine lake at 7000 feet. It was frozen over at one end, the end in the shade of the fir trees, there was still snow interspersed between their leaves. No one was swimming. A father and son were fishing. I stripped off and jumped in. Bliss, cold and brief bliss, but bliss all the same. The fishing duo were shocked but loved the spectacle and asked many questions about wild swimming. I hope to have inspired them a little.

4.  PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS

If you are going to go into the mountains plan a route that features rivers and lakes. Consider the weather, clothing, food, drink, timing and your own personal mountain experience. If you are not comfortable with planning routes or any of these factors find a friend who is or hire a local mountain leader. You may have a friend who is an experienced mountain walker but isn't sure about wild swimming - if so, just combine the two activities - and have them ready with a flask and fleece for when you get out. You never know, you may inspire them!

5.  DON'T FORGET THE SEA, TOO!

Most of my favourite plunges have been in the mountains, but the sea holds something special for swimmers too. For me I need to have a target to aim for - an island or an anchored boat. Personally, I find it quite difficult to swim in a straight line in the sea, so having a target to aim for helps. The first island I swam to was just off Majorca 15 years ago.  I then didn´t swim to another island until joining SwimTrek on their Inner Hebrides tour just two years ago. Inspired by this, I swam from Achiltubie to one of the Summer Isles in North West Scotland last year and I am currently planning a 6km interisland swim off the west coast of Ireland.

Although I have had some great solo wild swims, I'd generally advise company both from an enjoyment and a safety point of view. In the words of Christopher McCandles in the Jon Krakauer book Into The Wild: "Happiness is only real when shared".

In July, OSS team members will be taking on the English Channel swim challenge. OSS stalwart Sarah Tunnicliffe gives us an insight into training.

On 10 July 2010, two OSS team members - Tom Reed and Sarah Tunnicliffe - will be forming part of a relay team to swim the English Channel in the Mel Watkins Challenge. 

The Mel Watkins Challenge is an annual relay swim race whereby teams attempt to complete the English Channel Crossing. This year, all funds raised from the challenge will go to Kent Air Ambulance Trust, and Tom and Sarah are trying to raise £6,000.

The relay team are currently training hard both in the pool and in open water without wetsuits at the moment to prepare for the challenge. Tom ditched his wetsuit ages ago with Sarah only shedding the neoprene at the start of April and loving the sunny weather we've currently been having.

Gradually they've built up the outdoor distances to acclimatise to the colder temperatures swimming mainly in rivers, but from very early May they'll be in the sea more.

You can follow the progress of Tom and Sarah's relay team via their facebook group page where no complaints of sore shoulders are allowed!

If you'd like to sponsor Tom and Sarah on their challenge, they have a Just Giving link. All proceeds raised will be going directly to the Kent Air Ambulance Trust - Saving Time - Saving Lives.

The OSS team wish Tom and Sarah the best of luck on their training and challenge, we'll be closely following how they get on.

Sarah Tunnicliffe, May 2010

Pool campaigner Sally Wainman will be standing to become the MP for Ipswich in the forthcoming general election on the single issue of saving Broomhill lido.

Sally has stood previously in six elections (both local and general) with the aim of keeping the pool's plight in the public view and encouraging action to save the grade II listed lido.

Sally and the Broomhill Pool Trust have continuously campaigned for the pool's reopening since its closure in 2002.

The next few months will be critical, as Ipswich Borough Council considers expressions of interest from parties looking to re-develop the site of the pool.

Among these is a high profile leisure trust with a first class track record in restoring pools - but the Council are unable to confirm whether the other developers intend to keep the site as a swimming pool or not.

An additional frustration for campaigners is the Council's recent withdrawal of a pledge of £1m towards the cost of restoring the pool.

The money was initially promised by councillors elected in 2004, but at the end of last year it was removed from the budget, just as expressions of interest were being received.

The £1m sum also proved controversial in 2008 when the Trust's application for a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund was rejected. The HLF found that the money was ‘unsecured' and that the council needed to show ‘greater commitment'.

The Council queried the building's listed status in 2001, and in 2008 were only stopped at the last minute from filling in the pool.

A representative for Ipswich Council said: '"The Council maintains its position of working with the Broomhill Pool Trust. We have received a number of expressions of interest over the pool's future and these will be properly evaluated in the coming months."

Surveys conducted by the Broomhill Pool Trust and by the Council itself have shown that restoration would be popular with Ipswich residents. The Trust estimates the cost of keeping the facility closed at £50k per year.

Sally said: "Ipswich Borough Council cannot expect an outside operator to bear the financial brunt of the council's decision to leave the pool needlessly derelict and neglected since the end of 2002."

The OSS fully supports Sally in her campaign and will be following events closely.

Jonathan Knott, April 2010

Those unable to make Swimtrek's Hellespont swim to mark the 200th anniversary of Lord Byron crossing the strait can join the OSS for a social swim a little closer to home on the same date. 

Setting out from Byron's pool in Cambridge (said to have been a favoured swimming spot for the poet), swimmers will follow the river Cam through Grantchester meadows towards Newnham Riverbank Club for a picnic. 

Swimmers will meet at the Riverbank Club at 10:30, and drive to Byron's Pool before swimming back down.

Find out more on Facebook.

This is not an organised swim and swimmers participate at their own risk.

Buying a wetsuit for outdoor swimming is a confusing business.  There can seem to be an endless array of different varieties and makes, and without the right guidance it can be difficult to know where to start.  It's certainly a topic that has cropped up regularly in discussions on our Facebook group. 

Luckily, OSS swimmers Jo Hills and Adam Smith have now put together a comprehensive guide to buying a wetsuit.  For the answers to all your questions, it's number four in our outdoor swimming tips section here. 

June 2010: The Wavewatchers Companion by Gavin Pretor-Pinney

Just out today (7th June), so no I haven't read it, but it is by Gavin P-P, who wrote the cloud-spotting guide and if that is anything to go by, dive in. 

May 2010:   Seven-Tenths: The Sea and its Thresholds by James Hamilton-Paterson. 

April 2010: The Natural Navigator by Tristan Gooley.

March 2010: Sea Room by Adam Nicolson

Others that you should already have, or have been reviewed on the website before:

Wild Swim by Kate Rew

Waterlog by Roger Deakin

Haunts of the Black Masseur by Charles Sprawson

Caught by the River a collection of words of water

I hope to build up here, over time, a collection of books that cover many aspects of wild swimming. Swimming, nature, wilderness, outward bound-ness(!), poetry, dreaming, natural history, and with luck some water-based fiction. Please send me any suggestions of any interesting cultural books that you would like to see here on info @ outdoorswimmingsociety.com and mark them FAO me. Thanks,

Michael Worthington

OSS member Anthony Barstow is returning to outdoor swimming for the first time since his teens. Here he shares how it's helping him beat depression the natural way.

As the prescription printed off I wondered how I had let this happen again. I just did not want to go back onto the 'happy pills', especially now I'm a father.

I had taken Fluoxetine before and was adamant that I did not want to take it again. It gave me headaches and a constant feeling of dehydration. In many respects I thought it made me feel worse.

Months of mental agony and within a ten minute appointment my doctor had pin-pointed exactly what medication to prescribe. But that saddened me more than it amazed me. As I drove home I realised there had not been any question of alternative treatment. A previous doctor had once mentioned increasing the amount of exercise I did, but this was very much secondary to taking pills.

It wasn't until I got an email a couple of weeks later saying entry to the Great North Swim was open that I thought sod it, I'll do it. As soon as I reacquainted myself with the water, I knew I was doing the right thing. Being immersed is such a freeing experience. Even in the local pool I am reminded of swimming off the beaches of the Jurassic Coast as a child. My local triathlon club has welcomed me to their training sessions and will provide me with great support when I am ready to take my swimming outside again.

So why had this not been mentioned to me as an alternative to medication? Some quick googling confirmed that it's not just me who is feeling the benefits.

In 2005 the Mental Health Foundation published a report, Up and Running, which explains how exercise can be an effective treatment for mild to moderate depression. A full four years later, in 2009, they published a follow-on report highlighting that, despite their earlier findings, exercise is often still not a GP's first choice when prescribing for depression. A lack of referral outlets is quoted as a reason but, really, anyone can take the initiative to head out for some exercise.

Why swimming though? More precisely, why outdoor swimming? The answer to the first question is relatively straightforward; aerobic exercise is proven to alleviate symptoms of depression by releasing endorphins which improve your mood. Swimming is also very low impact, so you are unlikely to pick up injuries which might prevent you from continuing with it.

But it seems that outdoor swimming can do even more for the healing process than indoor swimming can. On my internet travels I stumbled upon a couple of interesting theories as to why. Nikolai Shevchuk, a researcher from America, undertook a study of cold showers as a possible treatment for depression. The outcome, in a nutshell, was that the change in body temperature stimulates cold receptors in the skin which releases those feel-good endorphins. Others put it down to the calming and restorative influence of nature.   

So the evidence is there if this one man's experience isn't enough for you. What are you waiting for? If you're feeling the strain of modern life and swimming is, for the moment, the last thing you feel like doing, it's probably the very tonic you need.

Anthony Barstow, April 2010

The OSS, a not-for-profit, has been recruiting volunteers heavily since Autumn 2009 so we can do more for our members in 2010 - please do look at our expanded team. Special mention goes to Laura Tomlinson, our Volunteer Manager, who has welcomed so many faces into exciting roles over the last three months - please get in touch with her if there's any thing you're able to do for other members of the society.

For the next few months Laura is focusing on helping members into positions as Regional Representatives all over the country. If you can operate as a social focal point a few times a year for swims in your area, please get in touch with her or Sarah Tunnicliffe. We're also looking for people to hold 'Big Jumps', river swimming and picnics, all over the country on July 11th.

Key volunteer staff still being recruited: a creative agency or individual to take the position of OSS design lead for 2010 (everything from hats to merchandise and posters), events organisers to organise member swims where safety is required, experienced writers, a magazine editor and a sponsorship broker.

As part of its ongoing growth the OSS is delighted to announce a new board of directors and panel of advisors. On the advisory panel we have Chris Hines (campaigning genius and man behind pressure group Surfers Against Sewage), Nathan Wilmott (our legal advisor) and Simeon Singer (a finance director and entrepreneur). On the board we have Kate Rew, Michael Worthingon and Chris Askew, who is also Director of Fundraising for Breakthrough Breast Cancer.

Both the team and the board now meet quarterly, with the team handling all the grassroots growth, direction and events of the OSS, and the board taking strategic decisions to ensure we fulfil our mission to get more people enjoying the freedom and adventure of swimming outside. Kate Rew is now employed by the OSS on a part time basis.

We're in the process of developing a member questionnaire so you can tell us what you like about the OSS, and what you want more of. We might not be able to deliver it straightaway, but we can work towards it.

Kate Rew, April 2010

As the days lengthen and sunshine makes a welcome - if hesitant - return, many outdoor swimmers will (if they have not been swimming there throughout the winter anyway) be finding themselves inexorably drawn to their local lido.  And the good news is that appreciation of the value of lido life is also increasing among the public.

Britain's lidos once seemed in terminal decline, but are flourishing again thanks to a renewed appreciation of the unique benefits they can bring to individuals and communities. The term "lido" (borrowed from the famous sand island in Venice) escapes precise definition but signifies more than just a pool without a roof: lidos are conceived on a more epic scale and normally incorporate a strong sense of theatre. They typically include a sunbathing area and a cafe, and many are striking examples of art deco architecture. They are places to swim, but also to sunbathe, chat, read, think or simply exist.

The 30s were their boom decade, when an extraordinary craze for lidos swept the nation. New paid-holiday legislation allowed the public unprecedented freedom, while the state was keen to boost health and stimulate employment with new building projects. As Janet Smith records in her history of lidos, Liquid Assets, the London county council led the way, with chairman Herbert Morrison vowing to turn London into a "city of lidos". As well as cities, seaside resorts such as Brighton, Plymouth and Blackpool built lidos filled with sea water as safe and sociable bathing locations to encourage tourism. Their popularity continued for years, but the increasing affordability of foreign holidays and cuts to the budgets of local authorities caused many lidos to be closed in the 70s and 80s. Indoor leisure centres were the new trend, and the lido seemed on its way out. Many were demolished completely, others were allowed to become derelict.

Thankfully, since the 90s, a phenomenal rearguard action has kicked in to protect and breathe new life into these treasured institutions. The writer Ken Worpole recalls that a "perfect storm" of public opinion and funding opportunities came to the aid of the lido. The Twentieth Century Society's report Farewell my Lido (1991) was one of the first publications to draw attention to their fate, and writers such as Julie Burchill and Roger Deakin also wrote of their love of lidos. At the same time, lottery money was made available to restore lidos such as the Jubilee Pool (Penzance), Tinside (Plymouth), Brockwell Park (London) and Sandford Parks (Cheltenham).

Financial issues remain a concern for any local authority considering reopening a lido, but a number of viable options are available. Working in partnership with not-for-profit management companies or charitable trusts is one solution that has allowed many formerly closed lidos to thrive again. One such example is London Fields lido, situated in the heart of Hackney, which reopened in 2006 and is managed by the social enterprise GLL. But were it not for the tenacity and spirit of the local community, it might not exist at all.

A 1989 report shortly after the pool's closure recommended it should be "demolished and put back to grass". Over the next 16 years the London Fields Users Group battled to save the pool through a myriad of feasibility studies and false dawns, negotiating overgrown weeds, raves and squatters and in one instance standing in front of a bulldozer to halt the pool's imminent demolition. Similar successes have been replicated across the country, from the Portishead open air pool (north Somerset), to Hilsea lido (Portsmouth) and the Droitwich Spa lido (Worcestershire). On Tuesday, Uxbridge lido in outer London was also reopened by Boris Johnson as part of the new multimillion pound Hillingdon leisure complex.

These happy endings will spur on supporters of Saltdean lido in Brighton as they fight for its future. The lido's owner recently announced plans to turn the building into flats, but within days a campaign had been organised, including a website and a Facebook group that now numbers over 5,000. The initial signs have been encouraging, with English Heritage confirming that the lido's grade II listed status applies to much more of the building than the developers appear to have assumed.

As concerns over carbon footprints and economic difficulties prompt more people to stay in the country over the summer, Britain's lido renaissance is welcome - and not just because lidos provide the uplifting combination of space, water and sunlight. They are also one of the few public spaces where a genuine sense of community can still be found.

It may not be coincidental that the impetus for restoring them has mostly come from the grassroots. With traditional democratic engagement on the wane and a lazy sense of entitlement sometimes seeming to prevail among the public, it is encouraging to see people working together to create and protect a shared local resource. The methods used by campaigners, capitalising on digital technology to prevent authorities riding roughshod over the wishes of their residents, are also a blueprint for how politics can be done in the 21st century. "Empowerment" is currently a fashionable political buzzword: this is empowerment in action.

Opening the Morecambe Super Swimming Stadium in 1936, Bank of England governor Sir Josiah Stamp famously said "when we get down to swimming, we get down to democracy". It is a statement that is true in more ways than one.

For comprehensive information on open and potentially reopenable lidos in the UK, visit Oliver Merrington's website lidos.org.uk.

For memories of lidos past, see Anne Jessel's Lost Lidos.

This article was originally published on the Guardian's comment is free website. 

Jonathan Knott, April 2010

The OSS is now on twitter under the username OSS_team.

Follow us for up to the minute outdoor swimming news, information on social swims in your area, and other outdoor swimming/water related tweets!

Twitter is a rapidly growing online social network in which users share thoughts and information with each other in 'tweets' of less than 140 characters.

OSS volunteer Jools Abrams-Humphries writes a personal account of the role outdoor swimming has played in her life

The lure of open water has beckoned from an early age. Nose pressed against the window of my uncle's Ford Anglia on a rare trip to Wales, the smell of heated vinyl on a hot day permeating the air, I'd wrenched the rear door open before the car was parked and was off across the sand as fast as my chubby three year old legs would carry me. Straight into the surf, white knee socks and red buckled sandals sea soaked and blurring beneath the waves. Ankle deep was as far as I got for the next 10 years. No one in the rest of my family could swim, and I was constrained to wave hopping, stranded on the shore, looking longingly out at the great expanse of water. Living land bound deep in the Midlands didn't help. Perhaps it was in the genes - family folklore told tales of how my Grandfather swum the Mersey. Years later as a student in Liverpool I spent hours leaning over the railings at Pier Head, watching the metal grey river spin and weave its ebbs and flows, hiding all those stories.

There were plunges into kinder waters in my teens, midnight swims in the Med (unintended and unwise after a bottle of the local vino) splashes around the British coast with friends, but this wasn't enough - I thought there could be more. In the past four years, there has been. As part of a women's outdoor pursuit group, She Who Dares, I've fallen into open water from kayaks, canoes, and sailing dinghies; sculling the surface, lingering, before climbing back into the boat. I've swum the River Stort on a Bumble - a cross between a bath and a ramble - jumping from bridges and kicking down the waterways in an aquatic parallel world.

Organised trips to South Wales have given the group sea swimming opportunities in coasteering. Stumbling down a flower strewn coastal path and walking straight into the water, clad in thick wetsuits like extras from a ‘70's TV episode of Dr.Who. Swimming along the coast, briefly numbed by the cold, blue skies above. Floating like flotsam and jetsam on the tide, we bobbed around the coast, tiny specks swept past towering cliffs, small and insignificant in the seascape. In a tiny bay between two rocky outcrops we bobbed like champagne corks in a bucket, laughing and tangling into each other as socks in a giant washing machine. Climbing out clutching at the cliff face as tightly as the barnacles locked there, we swam round into a secret cave, accessible only from the water. This was a place where seals came to give birth, an underwater maternity ward. Another year we took those giant leaps into the blue lagoon near Aberiddy, sheltered from the wild sea beyond, and floated on the calm green water below.

Inspired by the group and the Wild Swim book, I'm now breaking out into new waters and ready to attempt my first open water distance swim as part of the Great East Swim in June. My wild swimming now has purpose, if not poise.

Who says money and job satisfaction have to be related. Seen the massive team page? Ever wondered what we're all up to? Here's the news.

March is a phenomenally busy month - this is the time of year we set up events, parties and web improvements that will run for the summer - so we couldn't so much narrow it down to a volunteer of the month as about four. But out of acres of hard work a special thank you and pair of goggles goes to Jonathan Knott (website content editor), Louise Crathorne (fitness course manager), Laura Tomlinson (volunteer manager) and Adam Smith (map editor). Well done everybody.

• Ric Cole, Press Officer, has compiled an archive of media stories
• Jonathan Knott, Website Content Editor, has written and uploaded countless news stories and media feeds to keep you up to date with swimming news, and is introducing Twitter
• Rebecca Thompson, Web Redevelopment, has worked with the rest of the team to write a brief for the new OSS site, and put work out to tender to ten companies
• Michael Worthington, Director and Guerilla Swimmer, is organising a river race in the Thames and a long Thames swim to go with his book 'I heart the Thames,' a guide to swimming its length in 75 sections (buy it now from the OSS shop)
• Jo Daly, Event Manager, has been managing the OSS Wild Swim: Derwent Island LINK which is filling fast - book your tickets now
• Laura Tomlinson, Volunteer Manager, and Sarah Tunnicliffe, Regional Rep, are recruiting regional reps all over the country
• Jon Blyth, Photo Archive, has started work on a living online library of this special time in history when wild swimming was reborn and started taking new directions
• Scott Owens, Marketing, has written a questionnaire and is about to start market research so we can get more ideas from you about what you want
• Sophie Milton, Marketing, has rung all the mass swims in the country to get them involved in the OSS and create a 2010 list
• Jo Hills, swimmer, has written a wetsuit Q&A LINK for all newcomers because she needed one herself
• Rachel Smith, Event Volunteer Manager, has started recruiting 2event volunteers for the Keswick Mountain Festival weekend of OSS wild swimming, and supported Kate at the Big Dunk
• Kate Rew, Director, has had her fingers in all the pies all month, working on content, web redevelopment, seeking public funding and sponsorship for the Big Jump and web, and getting our Lakes 10k swim (Sept 11th) ready to launch with Breakthrough Breast Cancer
• Paul Roberts, Campaign Manager, has started organising the Big Jump LINK which is soon to launch (get the date in your diaries: July 11th)
• Louise Crathorne, Fitness Course Manager, has organised OSS fitness courses in Ipswich, London (Serpentine, London Fields, Parliament Hill, Brockwell), Cambridge and Ullswater and handled OSS wild swim queries
• Adam Smith, Map Editor, has been in the engine room, sorting out a myriad technical issues, an open water training lake list, and 1000 volunteer queries. We are not sure how much fun he's had, but someone had to do it so a big thank you Adam
• Irene Nuttney, Merchandise, has come back from Australia which means hoodie and hat delivery has returned to her normal high standards (thank you Irene)
• Lee Wicks, e-marketing, has joined the team and got off to a sprint start analysing our website statistics and looking at strategic links to fulfil the OSS ambition of tripling our reach online this year
• Oli Pitt, OSS parties, has masterminded a midsummer's night dip LINK to delight us all

To complete their tasks the team is particularly looking for help with:

• Marketing - someone to organise and see through marketing for OSS fitness courses and events
• Design and copy writing - we are going to need flyers for events this summer, new hats for members and more merchandise
• Writers and editors - as the web overhaul moves on Jonathan and Kate need more people to provide copy, including a new newsletter editor and a magazine editor for a new member-only publication
• Event volunteers - for 22nd and 23rd May, when we are holding OSS swim clinics and the OSS Wild Swim in the Lake District
• Leeds based swimmer - to keep Scott Owens company

What they have done for themselves: gone swimming. Kate had a particularly nice time in the Serpentine (0.5 degrees), Michael saw 14 blue whales in Sri Lanka and Sarah remains indefatigable in her social swim planning (North Yorkshire and River Great Ouse, Cambridgeshire). Swim on, friends and members...

March 2010

Boutique swim events: pick of 2010

Fields full of wasted indie bands are so 2009. This summer's best weekends are all about wild swims. Now's the time to buy tickets for the most characterful (and small) swim events this summer - some even come attached to a festival. See below Kate Rew's top picks for 2010. The southern bias is a result of where the events are, so come on the top of the country!

Black Sheep Swim, 27 June, Oxfordshire

The Black Sheep Swim began seven years ago when two renegade rowers decided to swim the Henley Royal Regatta course before the regatta itself began. One swim became a tradition, and the 2.2km is now an annual event, with a misty sunrise start. Entry is £50. http://www.henleyswim.com/

Topsham to Turf, Sat 17th July, Devon

There was just one swimmer in this charity swim in 2006 - Mike the ferryman. He was joined by a few others in 2007, including one OSS passerby who stripped off and jumped in and swam n his underpants. Last year there were 117, so go to join this quirky 1.5 mile estuary swim, which starts at one pub with folk bands and the town crier, and ends at an Exeter institution: the Turf pub. £25 to join, plus raise £25 for the Estuary League of Friends. Contact rachel.estuary@virgin.net.

Port Eliot Wild Swim, 24 July, Devon

Free to those with tickets for the eclectic literary festival in Devon is a one mile estuary swim led by Kate Rew through the cornfields and reed beds of the River Tiddy. Swimmers will be serenaded by local birdlife and the rock and roll fishermen who make up Caught by the river. Registrations will be taken through the Port Eliot office nearer the time. Keep an eye on their website.

Padstow to Rock Swim, 24 July, Cornwall

After fuelling yourself with Rick Stein's fish and chips in Padstow, swim the mile across the Camel estuary to Rock with the man himself to raise money for Macmillan. OK we can't promise Rick Stein, though he did swim it last year, but we can promise stunning dune jewelled coastline. Places are limited to 300 and cost £30. For more information email pcoombs@macmillan.org.uk or call 01209 211 442.

Burgh Island Race, 30 August, South Devon

On 22 August the Burgh Island hotel co-ordinates a one mile Round the Island sea race. A party pad for London society in the 20's and 30's, swimmers are now more likely to enjoy the sight of beautiful rock formations and spider crabs than Agatha Christie or Noël Coward. The growing popularity of this once local race means the hotel now holds heats. The amateur heat is full but more experienced open water swimmers can still apply to take part by emailing reception@burghisland.com.

Swim to Bestival, 10 September, Isle of Wight

The swim to Bestival caught the public imagination so much in 2007 we never stop getting requests about it. People, we can not pull strings, but we can tell you this epic swim across the Solent is a difficult, wonderful endeavour that only 20 people get to take part in prior to being honoured on the main stage at the start of Bestival. The Bestival crew are currently (21st March) working out the logistics, so they have no information yet, but contact them (not us) if you want to take part. www.bestival.net/

Swims up North?

This isn't right, six great quirky events, but all down South. Send your story in to news@outdoorswimmingsociety.com if you can do a different themed selection for next month.

The Nairn's Big Dunk in Scotland on 20th March, a swim to celebrate the start of spring, proved to be a big success with over 50 brave swimmers joining Kate Rew and Rachel Smith from the Outdoor Swimming Society for an icy plunge into the Forth of Firth in North Berwick.

The weather was fine, and swimmers praised the revitalising effects of the cold water.

A big thank you to Nairn's for their support of outdoor swimming, and all swimmers for taking part.

The swim was a big media hit, with photo spreads in Scotland on Sunday, the Sunday Herald, and homepage pics on the Daily Mail and Daily Mirror websites. To read all about it and see some pics, see:
Daily Mail (first feature)
Daily Mail (second feature)
A video of the event may be watched here.

BBC Alba's 'Trusadh' recently featured an episode on wild swimming.  The programme (mainly in Gaelic, but with English subtitles) may be watched on iplayer here.

'Old man in the sea' is a short film about swimmer David Sawyers, whose grandfather founded the Brighton Swimming Club 150 years ago. His arthritis makes walking difficult but he swims in the sea every day without pain. 

During the film David declares 'swimming has lost its heart', and that 'the understanding to make it a joy, a pleasure, is gone'.

The film was shot in Brighton by Kat Mansoor as part of the 'Against the tide' project, which aims to document people and places on the South East Coast. 

Jonathan Knott, March 2010

Kate Rew recently featured on BBC One Planet in an interview at the Serpentine in London.  The slideshow can be watched here:

Locals are to be consulted over the future of Tarlair tidal pool in Aberdeenshire.

Visitors once flocked to the pool, which lies in a stunning location on Scotland's northeastern coast, but it has been closed to swimmers since 1996.  A model boat club continues to use it. Consultants have just reported their findings and have recommended that the pool is filled in at a cost of £1.3 million.

However, the council has deferred a decision and will consult the public and users before coming to a final view.  Reopening the pool to swimmers is not among the options being considered.

The art deco building has been granted category A listed status by Historic Scotland.

There is more information in these links.  The Banffshire Journal website has several news reports and features, including people's memories of Tarlair pool.

Jonathan Knott, March 2010

Kate Rew meets Dan Martin, who is inviting OSS members to do a last swim with him before he embarks on his swim across the Atlantic on May 8th. 

At the OSS, we are going to be watching Dan Martin closely over the next few months - as closely as it is possible a man who is going to be making his way in a pair of goggles and trunks all the way across the Atlantic.

Dan stands 6ft 5'' ‘and bulletproof' in his trunks and as of Feb 16th weighed in at 20 stone (3 stone short of his target weight). His 3000 mile odyssey is a first: with no flippers, no wetsuit, no snorkel, no sharkcage, and a GPS measuring exactly where he finishes every day and taking him back to that point every morning, his will be the first non-assisted Atlantic swim ever.

(Our caps still come off for Ben Lecomte, who was the first man to make it across in any fashion in 1998. Dan is, perhaps unnecessarily given the size of the undertaking, just making it even more difficult, by not having Ben's giant monofin, wetsuits or an electromagnetic field to protect him from sharks).

‘I did my first ever cold water swim with Bryn from the OSS in April last year,' says Dan, who was last seen at the winter OSS social swim at Pangbourne Meadows in January, bounding through the snow in flip-flops and a bare barrel chest (see pics, he's the one in the GB hat).

As warmly as the 10 degree water temperature allows, he is inviting other OSS members to join him for his last swim before he heads off to start his swim from New York, the Statue of Liberty.

‘I'm going down to Dover on the 1st May which is the opening of channel season - all the channel swimmers go down there and do 20 minutes, no wetsuits, around 9am. It'll be my last swim before I leave. Everyone's welcome to join me. It'll be about 10, 11 degrees, quite warm, and I'm in for 6 hours.'

Keep him company for some of it?

We're fully behind Dan on his epic, brilliant, ‘stoopid' (his spelling), brave and crazy mission, and will keeping right on his toes as he makes his way across. Three and a half thousand miles of cold, deep, dangerous water, with huge waves, massive storm systems, hurricanes, icebergs, strong currents, sharks, poisonous jellyfish and heavy shipping traffic. Some ships can't even do it, so lets hear it for Dan.

Find out more about Dan at his website.  Register for the event here.

Coming soon...more on Dan's training.

Kate Rew, February 2010

Last month, Matt Newbury gave us five of his favourite literary island swims in Europe. This month, he talks us through five more, further flung, great island swims.

My passion for island swimming was first awakened when I swam from Alcatraz a couple of years back. I first fell in love with San Francisco years before I ever visited the place, thanks to my teenage obsession with all things Americana. The city has such a colourful history: the gold rush, earthquakes, Levis, the Birdman of Alcatraz, Kerouac, Kesey, Ginsberg, the Merry Pranksters, the Grateful Dead and the legendary acid tests. Woodstock made way for gay liberation, disco and those 70s car chases bouncing down those precarious hills and onto my TV screen 3,000 miles away.
 
Alcatraz has always proved to be a fascinating enigma to me. A prison island in the middle of one of the most beautiful bays in the world, gazed upon wistfully by those liberal Californians. I was also intrigued by the story that no one incarcerated there had ever managed to cross the frigid and apparently shark-infested waters to their freedom (not counting Sean Connery in The Rock).  So when I discovered that their was an annual ‘aquathon’, I signed up straight away with my partner and we started training for the mile and a half swim (and seven mile run across the Golden Gate Bridge and back).  
 
Anyone that knows me will let you know that anything that can go wrong will. The airline lost our suitcases, so we arrived the evening before the swim and run with no wetsuits, goggles, trunks, swim caps and running gear, leaving us a few hours to dash around San Francisco trying to buy and hire everything we needed. When I jumped into the Bay waters at first light, in a wetsuit two sizes to small for me, I panicked a bit and forgot to hold onto my goggles, which flew off my face as I hit the waves.
 
As I splashed around desperately trying to find the goggles, my partner Aaron swam off, following another chubby person in an orange cap he mistakenly thought was me. A kind canoeist did find the goggles and I began the mile and a half swim, trying to sight the building I had been told to aim for in the misty distance. It was at this point I also kicked myself for not learning bilateral breathing. Every time I turned my head to the right to gasp some air, a wave seemed to fill my mouth with water, perfectly complimenting the liquid stinging my eyes thanks to the badly leaking new goggles.
 
Despite this list of small disasters, about halfway through the swim I started to really enjoy myself. The Californian sun won a battle with the famous Bay mist and as I took a breather and a 360 degree paddle to look at where I was. I took in the remarkable island, the dust red colour of the most iconic bridge in the world, and the San Francisco skyline with those colourful buildings scattered playfully across those famous seven hills. I'm not sure if it was quite an epiphany, but it was at that moment I thought that I need to do more adventures like this. And also to do something about the chaffing...
 
The idea of swimming to, from and around famous islands began to develop over the next 12 months, as I began to research potential islands around the world, all with a story to tell. Eventually I narrowed my list down to ten islands in Europe and a further 10 around the rest of the world that I would eventually like to visit and conquer. Here's a handful of my selection, although I'm sure every swimmer with a passion for travel would have different ideas…
 
ROBBEN ISLAND, CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA (4.7 miles)
 
Robben Island gained worldwide notoriety during the apartheid era of South Africa’s history, when several key anti-apartheid political activists including Nelson Mandela and Robert Mangaliso were imprisoned there. The island was used primarily as a prison from the time the Dutch first settled in the Cape in the mid-1600s. It was also used a training and defence station in World War II and a hospital for people with leprosy, as well as the mentally and chronically ill.
 
Since 1997 it has been a museum and heritage site, running programmes for schools, youths and adults. More than anything, it stands as a symbol of freedom and a stark reminder that we should learn from the wrongs of the past. The swim from Robben Island to Big Bay is considered to be one of the toughest, most extreme long distance cold water sea swim races in the world. The 7.5km across the famous Robben Island channel, is known for its bitterly cold water (around 13 degrees) and strong, unpredictable currents. Oh – and Great White Sharks.

www.cadiz.co.za/events/freedomswim
 
NEVIS TO ST KITTS, EASTERN CARIBBEAN (2.5 miles)
 
The islands of Saint Kitts and Nevis are two of the Caribbean's oldest colonised territories separated by just two miles of water, making for a perfect swim through clear and warm tropical waters. Lying near the top of the Lesser Antilles archipelago, about 200 miles south of Puerto Rico, and just west of Antigua, both paradise islands are blessed with lush green vegetation and the sort of beaches usually only found as screensavers. 
 
The sombrero-shaped island of Nevis proudly carries the name Queen of the Caribees. The larger island of St Kitts is equally as stunning, with white sandy beaches, 19th century plantation inns, lush tropical rainforests, a dormant volcano and a breathtaking waterfall. The days average 85 degrees fahrenheit, tempered by cool sea breezes and very little rain. Indeed it seems amazing that Columbus didn’t just lay down his hat and call it home. The swim across the channel starts on the paradise Oualie Beach on Nevis with clear views across to St Kitts. The swim finishes at Cockleshell Bay, which as the name suggests, is equally as beautiful.

www.neviscycleclub.com
 
MAGNETIC ISLAND TO TOWNSVILLE, AUSTRALIA (5 miles)
 
Magnetic Island is a 52km mountainous island which has effectively become a suburb of Townsville in Queensland Australia, thanks to a population nearing 2,500. More than half of the Island's 5,184 hectares is National Park, with Mount Cook in the centre rising to 497 metres. Huge granite boulders are softened by tall Hoop pines, eucalypt forest and small patches of rainforest.
 
The name of the island came about because of the apparent ‘magnetic’ effect it had on the ship's compass of Captain Cook as he passed the island when sailing up the east coast of Australia in 1770. The Townsville swim has been held almost every year since 1954 and takes competitors to the beautiful beachfront on The Strand in Townsville, a distance of 8km. Up until 2008, the swim used shark cages, limiting competitors to just seven or eight.
 
Declining shark numbers and the fact that the last incident involving a shark in Townsville coastal waters happened in 1951, led to organisers making the event cageless last year. This has opened the swim up to far more people, with around 100 expected to take part in the next race.

www.magneticislandswim.com.au
 
KO PHI PHI DON TO PHI PHI LEH, THAILAND (One mile)
 
The Beach is a cult classic by Alex Garland, drawing inspiration from the likes of Heart of Darkness and Lord of the Flies. In both the book and the Danny Boyle-directed film starring Leonardo DiCaprio, a young backpacker called Richard travels to South East Asia with the intention of experiencing something radically different from his familiar life.
 
He hears an urban legend about an island paradise where a secret community of travellers who have left behind their former lives have set up their own utopia. To reach the beach described in the book, the trio hop between several islands, finally making a swim to the island described on the map. Ko Phi Phi Leh was the location of the island in the film and the uninhabited island has since become very popular with tourist on daytrips from nearby Phi Phi Don. There is no organised swim to the island, although it is relatively straightforward to book a boat to accompany the one mile swim.
 
ROBINSON CRUSOE ISLAND, OFF THE COAST OF CHILE (One mile)
 
Think islands and think Robinson Crusoe, the original castaway in the classic novel by Daniel Dafoe, first published in 1719. But how many people know that not only was there a real Robinson Crusoe, but that there is also an island named after him in the Pacific Ocean 400 miles off the coast of Chile. Robinson Crusoe Island (also known as Juan Fernandez Island after the Portuguese sailor who discovered it) is a rugged volcanic island that was once a favourite refuge of pirates like Edward Davis, John Eaton and Bartholomew Sharp. It became famous in 1708 when Scots sailor called Alexander Selkirk was rescued after spending four years and four months stranded there. His experience inspired Defoe to write the world-famous Robinson Crusoe.
 
The lost paradise has only recently started to try and attract tourists, with one of the most visited spots being the Cave of Robinson, which is believed to have been the cave where Selkirk lived. The Island of Santa Clara is a mile away from Robinson Crusoe Island and would make the perfect escape swim. The next nearest island (actually called Alexander Selkirk) is 112 miles to the west and probably a bit far to swim! Robinson Crusoe Island was officially named as such by the Chilean government in 1966. 
 
To discuss more island swims, see the facebook discussion thread.

Matt Newbury, February 2010

Kate Rew has interviewed a host of Olympic swimmers and triathlon champions for a feature on pro performance training in this month’s 220 Triathlon magazine. Here are five of the top tips from the pros.

“KEEP YOUR ELBOWS HIGH,” says OSS Patron and Beijing Olympics bronze medal winner Cassie Patten. “Learning how to do this really turned things around for me. My stroke tended to be choppy and came in short. Even though you’re taught to keep it long, you can’t see yourself so it’s not always easy to do. Then, in 2006, my coach told me to keep my elbows high and it automatically lengthened my stroke – you can’t go in choppy with high elbows as it automatically elongates the stroke and increases the glide. A finger trailing drill where you skim fingers across the top of the water, with your elbows high, will help practice this.”

“WEAR A SNORKEL,” Says two-time Olympic swim medallist David Davies. “Not moving your head when you swim is really important to your efficiency. I use a snorkel for the warm-up and cool down to get used to keeping my head still, then, when I come to breathe without it, my head
movement is minimised.”

“LEARN TO BREATHE AND SIGHT,” is the advice from Keri Anne Payne, Olympic 10k silver medallist. “Self-taught swimmers often have an issue with breathing: you want to learn to
breathe out underwater. Also, make sure your head doesn’t go too far around when
you’re swimming. If you rotate so you can see the ceiling, your hips go out of line and you’ll
be snaking along the pool. Get someone to check that you just have your eyes and mouth out of the water. Once you’ve mastered this, learn to breathe and sight. Every three or four strokes, as if you’re going to breathe to the left, do your last stroke then look up to sight, and then turn to the side and breathe, all within the stroke.”

“TRAIN WITH A SQUAD,” says Olly Freeman, triathlete, ranked sixth in the world in 2008. “It’s key for enjoyment and fitness. I admire people who swim on their own at public swimming times but find it so much easier in terms of concentration and enthusiasm to train with others.”

SWIM LONGER, recommends Beijing Olympics double gold medal winner Rebecca Adlington.
The main thing with Rebecca’s stroke is its length – when she wants to swim faster, she swims longer. We work on this by sets where she covers the same distance, in the same time, in less strokes, by stretching out. For example, ten 50m sprints in 29 seconds, starting at 41 strokes, then 40, then 39, always trying to stretch out stroke length relative to speed.

Kate Rew, February 2010