Editor’s Letter

Asa swimmer I notice when things are a

TRENDING

RIVER ARUN CHALLENGE For her first ever open

Vote with your feet

Swimming can be a political act. There is

View From The Water

Simon Griffiths asks, what will you do for swimming this year?

Grey wagtail (Motacilla cinerea)

Illustration: Alice Goodridge WILD LIFE It is no

Stories from people for understanding places

ISSUE If you are new to an area

WHILE YOU’RE AT THE WATER

RUBBISH ART Walking along the shingle shore at

The Rivers Trust

In the face of climate change and nature

NURTURE NATURE

Rowan Clarke meets the outdoor swimmers who give back to their swim spots

SWIM PEOPLE

ELAINE HOWLEY • SWIMTERVIEW• SARAH THOMAS SOPHIE ETHERIDGE

BIODEGRADABLE WETSUITS ARE HERE!

An industry first, ZONE3 are launching a biodegradable wetsuit – and it won’t disappear as you swim! Ella Foote meets the team behind the new suit

KIT CONSCIOUS

What are the greenest ways to manage your swim kit? Rowan Clarke investigates

RIGHT TO ROAM

Access to outdoor spaces has long been a controversial topic in England and Wales. Lydia Paleschi speaks to Imogen Radford from the Outdoor Swimming Society’s Inland Access Group to shine a light on the legalities around swimming and trespassing so you can swim in confidence

LOUGH HYNE CONFLICT

Swimmers on a stunning saltwater lake in southern Ireland could come into conflict with scientists who believe the increase in activity is harming the marine life.

TOO COLD TO SWIM?

How the Little Ice Age could be at least in part responsible for Europe’s swimming drought in the Middle Ages

Sarah Thomas: Marathon Swimmer

In February 2021, when I first laid eyes

Adaptive Swimmer: Sophie Etheridge

The Unintentional Campaigner In 2020 I planned to

SHOWCASING SAFE OPEN WATER SWIMMING

NOWCA is back again at the 2024 National

PROMOTE AWARENESS AND TAKE ACTION

Far too many members of the Mental Health

COACH

WINTER REFRESHER • MOVE OF THE MONTH SHOULDER INJURY ADVICE • YOU ASK, WE ANSWER

WINTER FREESTYLE REFRESHER: PART 4: UNLEASH THE POWER OF YOUR LEGS

SIMON GRIFFITHS In this penultimate part of our

STANDING HEEL LIFTS

PERSONAL TRAINING WITH VIVIENNE RICKMAN

You Ask, We Answer!

CASSIE PATTEN QUESTION: Despite my best efforts my

DO YOU HAVE A PAINFUL SHOULDER WHEN SWIMMING?

Swimming specialist physiotherapist Alex Ewart explains shoulder pain

GEAR

TOW FLOATS & SAFETY GEAR

TOW FLOATS & SAFETY KIT

BEST FOR VISIBILITY ★★★★★ Speedo Dry Bag

CHALLENGE

PHISH • EVENTS LISTINGS

PHISH TALES

PHiSH, the annual, invite-only cold-water swimming event, ended on a high with swimmers wanting more. Ella Foote reports

LET’S SWIM!

UK AND INTERNATIONAL EVENT LISTINGS

EXPLORE

WEEKENDING • LISBON

WEEKENDING: THE BOAT HOUSE

In this regular feature, we visit places that offer weekend escapes with a swimming opportunity. This month, Ella Foote enjoys a windy weekend in Cornwall with a swim outside her bedroom window

CREATING AMAZING CONNECTIONS IN LISBON

Positive connections create the confidence to explore and push beyond our limits. Ben Lane travelled to Portugal to swim the seas and get connected

PATRONS

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

SWIM LIFE

MY SWIM STORY• SWIMTERPRIZE WATCH, READ, LISTEN • SHORT STORY

My Swim Story: Celebrating different abilities

Emma Jane Lancaster hasn’t let surgeries, medical conditions and a colostomy stop her swimming

JENNY URWIN: WARMCOR

Tell us a bit about your swim background.

Local: A Search for Nearby Nature and Wildness

After years of expeditions all over the world,

THE LITTLE BOOK FOR WILD SWIMMERS

Whether you’re a seasoned swimmer or want to

THE LIFELINE

From the author of The Lido, a new

NIGHT SWIMMERS

Grace lives alone in Ballybrady, a little village

WHEN WORDS ARE NOT ENOUGH

Explores the many ways that bereaved families find

For Fitness Sake

Can fitness really be fun? Of course! Join

MARKS IN THE LANDSCAPE

We try to leave the place as we