In 2006, the OSS, similarly uplifted by the swimming experience, set out a manifesto to help people escape chlorine captivity, leading with the pledge that we would ‘celebrate and enlarge the beauty of every day by going for a nice, long swim’ (a nod to the John Cheever story ‘The Swimmer’). Choose somewhere easy to get in and then back out is important, especially in the winter when getting in might be ok but getting out onto a stony surface can be horrible. I try to keep my thoughts on the surface of the water, and tow floats can be quite useful as they’re so resolutely on the surface and that brings your imagination back up. The Outdoor Swimming Society provides a space within which a community of independent spirits can share the joy and adventure of swimming outdoors.

Outdoor Swimmer Magazine News - Outdoor Swimmer Magazine

With huge thanks to everyone who’s been a part of the journey so far, and the best of luck to you on the next stage of yours. Or, the further you are from hypothermia you are when you get in, the further you are from hypothermia when you get out. Kate: There are many varieties of swimming out there, from pottering about to long distance to adventure. People swim for all sorts of reasons: for the mental or spiritual uplift, or as a creative practice.Kate advocates taking a moment before swimming to tune into where you are, and making a basic assessment about whether the water looks appealing and safe. Having said that, there are ways to manage the risk of outdoor swimming by learning to read the environment. There's adventure swims, where you might be planning A to B swims; there's people that just lie around meditating, or those who love to go night swimming,” Kate says. The photographs in the book are particularly splendid: some have all the disarming beauty of great paintings…. Part of the chapter is devoted to the “almost unquestioned ideology that cold water is good for you” - a statement that Kate, refreshingly, questions.

Outdoor Swimming 5 Tips for Getting Started with Outdoor Swimming

There is a perception that you need lots of kit when getting started with wild swimming - in particular, the much maligned Dryrobe.Through her profound creativity and enthusiasm, Rew’s efforts and publications have literally encouraged, guided, and inspired millions of people – first starting in the UK and then expanding globally – to take to the open water. In terms of really useful things when you get into it: obviously a nice swimsuit that feels comfortable to swim in and two pairs of goggles – one for bright, sunny conditions and one for cloudy days. This was a time when outdoor swimming was largely thought to be a dirty, dangerous and illegal activity, and there was fear of being sued. So many swimmers have helped create this movement and form and articulate this knowledge over the years – may it help make water accessible to millions more.