SWIMS AROUND... Birmingham

Editor’s letter

Winter has arrived! Temperatures have dipped and across

CONTRIBUTORS

Rowan Clarke Swimming outdoors has always been part

Photo Contest

READER PHOTO CONTEST Enter our monthly reader photo

OPEN WATER NEWS ROUND-UP

NEW RECORD FOR LATE SEASON CHANNEL SWIM French

SAVING WINDERMERE

Rowan Clarke talks to wildlife champion and campaigner Matt Staniek about the state of Windermere, England’s largest lake

The #SewageScandal

Founder and publisher of Outdoor Swimmer I doubt

“I’m Not Great, But I’m OK”

Some swims stick with you, long after the

Wonderful Winter Swimming

I LOVE winter swimming. Crisp, chilly mornings, sparkling

Eco Pages

COMMON SEAL With a puppyish face, common or

Dipping a toe in the cold

The growing ranks of ‘cold-water curious’ swimmers is an opportunity for lidos to trial year-round opening, says Emma Pusill

Queen of the Channel

Colin Hill spoke to marathon swimmer Chloë McCardel at the Kendal Mountain Festival about her record breaking 44 crossings of the English Channel

The Mermaid, the Otter and the Big Poo

This autumn mermaid adventurer Lindsey Cole swam down the River Avon towing a giant poo to highlight sewage pollution and inspire children to look after their local rivers

IMMERSED Portraits of a Swimmer

Artist Kate Sollohub was inspired to paint images of herself after cold-water swimming, Ella Foote learns how this became the start of a bigger project to capture fellow swimmers in Sussex

Eternal Swim

Tragically, several swimmers have lost their lives while attempting to swim the English Channel over the years

YOU ASK, WE ANSWER

I am approaching a big birthday and I

POOL PAGE

Maximise your indoor pool training

SWIM LIKE A DOLPHIN

How to ensure maximum forward momentum while reducing

JUST ONE MILE

Rowan Clarke investigates outdoor swimming’s most brutal challenge: the ice mile

NEOPRENE ACCESSORIES

Whether you choose to swim in skins or

Christmas WISH LIST

Swim things to want and wish for this holiday season

Away from home

Six dreamy swimming escapes

Unforgettable Festive Swims

Simon Murie is the

MEDDLING WITH MEDUSA

Ray Gibbs had more than Sirens to deal with in the Posidonia Race in Ibizia

SKINNY DIPPING

Swim experiences to tick off your bucket list

Patron Page

Thank you to the following individuals who have joined the Outdoor Swimmer Family as Patrons and Super Patrons

Your Letters

What’s inspired you about outdoor swimming this month?

Splashing good idea

Pandemic-panic leads to swim robe solution for swimmers

AUTUMN ARRIVES WITH A STORM

With the coming storms cold water is here at last

COLM DALY

70-year-old ice swimmer and subject of short film Snámh (Swim)