PATRONS

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

TRENDING

GUILDFORD LIDO Guildford Lido will now be open

SWIM PEOPLE

Image: Milos Samardzic SWIMTERVIEW • BEN HOOPER ICE

THE LONGEST OPEN WATER RACE IN SWEDEN

Conquer Sweden’s Longest and Toughest Open Water Race!

KIT WE LOVE

RAPANUI X SHARK TRUST LOCALS T-SHIRT, £28 Sustainable

ENVIRONMENT

Working towards more inland bathing waters status, how cold temperatures can restore balance to our rivers and can London become a sponge city? Jo Tinsley reports on the things that matter to us as swimmers

THE RIVERS TRUST

COLD WATER COMFORTS

CHAMPION OF THE WATERWAYS

Kirsty Davies The Community Water Quality Manager Kirsty

LIBBY DELANA

Creative adventurer and wellness podcast host Libby DeLana illuminates the many physical, mental, and spiritual benefits of cold water in her new book, Cold Joy

Welcome to the November issue...

What once felt like the season of retreat

CARTOONIST – MALCOLM LAVERTY (STAN)

COLD CLARITY: Why winter swmming keeps me coming back

For some swimmers, winter marks the off-season –

View from the water

How winter puts the wild into river swimming

BEYOND THE CHILL

Rowan Clarke takes a deep dive into the little-known facts about wild winter swimming

The beauty, risk and redemption of cold water swimming

The argument for cold water swimming comes in an age of central heating, hot yoga, and the comfort of Netflix evenings, so why are more than 8 million Britons stripping down and stepping into water that barely scrapes 8°C? Because cold water swimming isn’t just an act of endurance, it’s a reclamation of something visceral, Ben Hooper reports

PLUNGE INTO ICE SWIM COMPETITION

Ice swimming is no longer a niche pursuit reserved for polar adventurers. Across the UK, swimmers are bridging the gap between casual winter dips and official ice-swimming competition. Ice swimmer and open water coach Stephen Gould reports

REFUGE IN THE COLD

Filmmaker Judy Irving tells Rowan Clarke how cold water provides refuge from life’s biggest challenges.

VINDICATION & VALUE

Mercedes Gleitze’s famous Rolex Oyster heads to the auction block

WINTER GOALS

Winter swimming wasn’t an option where Jharna Kumawat was born and raised, but she was drawn to seasonal swims here in the UK.

Sub10 Club starts 1 November!

As the water cools and the mornings turn

Mental Health Swims Announces Closure

Mental Health Swims, the volunteer-led community that has

COACH

Image: John Ross Svensson WILD & RECREATION •

Swim your own swim

Editor Ella Foote is also an open water swim coach, outdoor swim guide and teacher. This month: prepare for winter

Sensory swimming

This is what you can see, hear, smell, touch and taste at the water’s edge this month

HOT & COLD – SAUNA SESSIONS

Across the UK, a growing number of outdoor

Why winter swimming indoors matters

When outdoor temperatures drop, indoor pools become sanctuaries for swimmers who want to maintain their training without battling the elements. For sprint athletes, winter is a prime time to sharpen technique, build strength, and stay consistent. For endurance athletes, the heat of the pool allows you to train for longer during cooler months and maintain a strong aerobic base level of fitness ready for spring

Why should you swim long distances?

Exploring your motives for swimming longer distances will help you make more of the experience

Keep the Cardio! Build your aerobic fitness over winter.

It’s that time of year when outdoor swimming

Shoulders fit for swimming

Liz is a personal trainer, group fitness instructor

HEALTH

HEALTHY EATING • WHAT’S UP DOC • PSYCHOLOGY

Healthy meals

Chef and Food Writer, Claire Thomson shares healthy meals for longer swims from her new book, One Pan Beans . Each month Claire shares a recipe that will keep you full and satisfied for all kinds of swims. You can also follow Claire on Instagram, where she is known as @5oclockapron

WILD WINTER

What have I been working on? I’ve been

FROM FIRST DIP TO ICE MILE: Finding Your Why in Winter Waters

Shared experience of cold water creates instant bonds

GEAR

Image: Lanza Dia, Zone 3 NEOPRENE ACCESSORIES •

WINTER WARMTH

Thermal socks, 3mm gloves and base layers: we review some of the best neoprene and Yulex accessories for keeping you warm in the water this winter

ZONE3 ACTIVE-FLEX SWIM GLOVES, £29

Pro: Grippy and good for multisports Con: A

ZOGGS 3MM NEOPRENE SWIMMING GLOVES, £42

Pro: Very warm and ideal for winter swimming

ZOGGS 3MM NEOPRENE SWIMMING SOCKS, £42

Pro: Exceptionally warm with thermal lining Con: Ran

ORCA CORE GLOVES, £37

Pro: Close-fitting, feels streamlined in the water Con:

ZONE3 YULEX VEST, £80

Pro: Long fit that stays put Con: Slight

SUMARPO NEOPRENE SWIM CAP, £31

Pro: Comfortable, adjustable chin strap Con: Gaps at

SUMARPO WEBBED POWER NEOPRENE SWIM GLOVES, £27

Pro: Warmth, propulsion and frog-style fun Con: Cold

SWIM CLUB SWIM JACKET 2MM, €70

Pro: Lightweight but very warm Con: Best for

OPEN WATER TESTING STRIPS

SwimSense from Sundfœrr is the first quick-response water testing strip designed specifically for wild swimmers – giving results in seconds, not days. We spoke to founder Anita Richardson about this new innovation

Meet our reviewers

The neoprene accessory I most appreciate is… Rowan

LAYERING UP AFTER A COLD WATER SWIM

Warm, waterproof and breathable: our favourite thermal layers to pull on after a cold dip

ARCTIC ECO-SNO MEN’S THERMAL BASELAYER, £65

Pros: Generous sleeves and length; effective warmth; eco-friendly

BAMBOO CLOTHING PACKABLE CLOUD JACKET, £139

Pro: So warm for the weight Con: Not

VERTURA WOMEN’S THERMAL POWER LEGGINGS, £95

Pro: Very warm and easy to pull on

VERTURA HEADBAND AND WRIST WARMER BUNDLE, £40

Pro: Breathable material, wicks water away from your

CHALLENGE

Image: Route North MY SWIM STORY • SWIMRUN

ICE SWIMMING IN THE ARCTIC CIRCLE

After a bet with her husband, Faustine Fourré Avramidis started ice swimming and then fell in love with it. Since taking an icy plunge, she has discovered a community of ice swimmers across the globe and met a local community, Riviera Penguins, in France where she lives. She has since been to Svalbard, Norway, which is where this story begins

FINDING FREEDOM IN SCOTLAND’S LOCHS

Sneha Sindhu swam as a child in India, but it wasn’t a comfortable experience. Here she shares her story of discovering joy, resilience and community swimming in Scotland

GRITTY RASCALS SWIMRUN CONISTON

For his first swimrun in seven years, Jonathan Cowie took on a 47+km race in the Lake District

Ultra 33.3

What happens when you have an event team that is made up of swimmers, endurance athletes and coaches alongside a group of swimmers with goals that are determined to succeed whilst being supported by their friends and family? Answer: UltraSwim33.3. Sophie Etheridge reports

Let’s swim!

UK AND INTERNATIONAL EVENT LISTINGS

CELEBRATE WINTER IN ESTONIA

While many countries endure winter, Estonians celebrate it. Ella Foote heads to snow covered Estonia to understand why it should be your next winter destination

SWIM LIFE

ENVIRONMENT • WATCH, READ, LISTEN • SWIMTERPRIZE

Calculated risks

Author and journalist Richard Waters is a keen amateur boxer, surfer and wild swimmer. At 40, he developed Parkinson’s disease. His book, Swimming with the Viking of Skye was published earlier this year

Watch Read Listen

Things I love this month: Tappermade Innately Wild

HARBOUR & TIDE

A winter of swimming in Margate, Kent, inspired Katy Lassen to launch Harbour & Tide, a beach store that focuses on joyful, functional and sustainable wares to help you make the most of your time by the sea