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Going wild about outdoor swimming
Public swimming baths will no doubt be enjoying a surge in visitors at the moment thanks to the school holidays.
But some serious swimmers are shunning pools in favour of lakes and rivers for so-called 'wild swimming'.
The Outdoor Swimming Society says there are a growing number of organised mass swims – around 60 a year – due to its growing popularity.
More than 80 per cent of the society's members said swimming outdoors made them feel happier and less stressed and 77 per cent said it brought them closer to nature.
Amy Mellor, 31, of Kettering, first started doing open water swims about three years ago and is a member of the British Long Distance Swimming Association and the Oundle District Swim Squad.
She said: "I usually do about five or six a season. The biggest one was Lake Windermere which is about 10.4 miles.
"Wet suits are banned with the British Long Distance Swimming Association so the women wear swimsuits and the men are just in trunks.
"I have always done races and it is a good progression from club swimming as a kid. I know people who do it who range from 11 years old to people in their 80s. Everyone is really friendly and it's a nice atmosphere.
"There is more to see with open water swimming and it is a challenge. It is cold and that is part of the challenge. I found it particularly with Windermere. I was having to think myself through the cold – 'I can do this, it's going to be OK'. It was freezing and raining and I couldn't actually feel my toes.
"I have never got into trouble on a swim. You always have a boat crew with you. You take your own rowing boat crew, usually my dad and my brother. They are with you the whole time.
"I only swim in the summer. They do winter swims but I have never been tempted. It's too cold!"
Louise Haynes, 33, of Burton Latimer, recently took part in the Great London Swim, a one-mile charity swim in the River Thames near Canary Wharf.
She took part to raise money for the Multiple Sclerosis Society as her best friend has the condition, and she did intensive training in the lake at Colmworth Golf Club in Bedford.
She said: "It was brilliant, absolutely fantastic and really well organised.
"There were 300 swimmers going in at a time and it was really busy in the water. I got kicked in the chest and kicked in the leg. For the first 400-metres it is everyone together but then it thins out a bit.
"The water is absolutely filthy, you can't see in front of you at all. You go off course an awful lot – you do five strokes and then realise you are going in the wrong direction. And it tastes disgusting.
"They did say after swimming in the Thames there is a high chance you will visit a doctor in the next three weeks. I'm on my fourth lot of antibiotics because I picked up a throat infection which then became an ear infection.
"The water was actually really warm, about 21C. I was wearing a wet suit and I was really hot.
"I have done some lake swimming before and I've swum in a lot of pools but this was completely different.
"It was a great experience and I'm going to try and do Lake Windermere next."
However, there are precautions swimmers must take if they plan to swim in open water.
The Environment Agency issued a warning this summer against taking a dip during the hot weather, urging people not to jump or dive into rivers as they won't know the depth and there could be a strong current or dangers in the water.
Youngsters jumping into the River Nene during the hot summer months is a common problem, particularly near the locks at The Embankment in Wellingborough.
Irven Forbes, waterways manager for the Environment Agency, said: "Water claims the lives of more than 50 children a year in the UK.
"We have worked hard to raise awareness among young people but the statistics show there is still work to do to get the message across that the hazards are often hidden, and under-estimating the dangers of water can have tragic consequences."
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Weather for Kettering
Friday 25 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 21 mph
Wind direction: East
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Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 20 mph
Wind direction: East
