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--- wisw:wild_swimming [2025/12/17 04:30] – created - external edit 127.0.0.1
+++ wisw:wild_swimming [2026/04/05 18:11] (current) – Simon Grant
@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-# Wild swimming
+This topic is part of [[gt:bushcraft|Bushcraft & Nature]].
+====== Wild swimming ======
-![](https://www.lowimpact.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/wild_swimming.jpg)
+![](wild_swimming.jpg)
 ---
-> "_My preference is swimming in the sea. I find the sea is more liberating, wild and good fun rather than plodding up and down a pool._" - Jo Brand,
+> "My preference is swimming in the sea. I find the sea is more liberating, wild and good fun rather than plodding up and down a pool." — Jo Brand.
+===== What is wild swimming? =====
-## What is wild swimming?
 'Wild' swimming is the only term that covers what we're talking about, really. It's not just 'swimming' because that includes indoor swimming pools; it's not 'outdoor swimming' because that includes lidos and outdoor pools; it's not 'swimming in rivers and lakes', because it also includes seas, oceans, lochs, pools, reservoirs, gravel & sand pits, old quarries, estuaries, firths, ponds, streams and anywhere else you can swim in nature - and then the name would be a bit too long. Wild swimming nails it.
@@ Line 37: / Line 37: @@
 Also, British water bodies are generally less polluted than they were 50 years ago, as manufacturing industries have been exported to the Far East. Whatever that means for the global environment or our economy, it means cleaner rivers, lakes and coastal seas in the UK, which is one of the reasons that wild swimming is taking off again - although agricultural runoff and sewage discharges are a problem, so it's best to [check the state of water bodies](https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/water-pollution-uk-where-wild-swimming) before swimming in them.
-{{ http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/wp-content/uploads/wild-swimming-cap-1.jpg }}
+{{ http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/wp-content/uploads/wild-swimming-cap-1.jpg }
+}
-## What are the benefits of wild swimming?
+===== What are the benefits of wild swimming? =====
 - Don't need a bricks & mortar pool, with all the embodied energy, electricity, heating, chlorine and habitat loss that that entails.
@@ Line 50: / Line 50: @@
 <figure>
-https://player.vimeo.com/video/134002940?h=9ba9005c8e
+{{url>https://player.vimeo.com/video/134002940?h=9ba9005c8e}}
 <caption>
@@ Line 67: / Line 67: @@
 {{ http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/wp-content/uploads/wild-swimming-dive-1.jpg }}
-## What can I do?
+===== What can I do? =====
-**Safety**
+==== Safety ====
 - Make sure you can swim well first; and if you are going to swim anywhere there might be boat traffic, it's a good idea to wear a brightly-coloured swimming hat, so that you can be seen.
@@ Line 93: / Line 93: @@
 {{ http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/wp-content/uploads/wild-swimming-walk-1.jpg }}
-**Legalities**
+==== Legalities ====
 In Scotland it's clear - you can swim anywhere. In England and Wales, it's much less clear, but it's certainly not illegal to swim in most open water.
@@ Line 103: / Line 103: @@
 The [Canal & River Trust](http://canalrivertrust.org.uk/) don't allow swimming in canals or rivers used for navigation. See the [River & Lake Swimming Association](http://www.river-swimming.co.uk/) for more info on legalities.
-**Practicalities**
+==== Practicalities ====
 - Just do it - it's not cold once you're in, and when you get out you feel tingly and warm all over.
@@ Line 113: / Line 113: @@
 - Wetsuits often have a little zip pocket for your car key / valuables, so that you don't have to worry about your belongings. Don't try it with an electronic car key though! If you want to keep things dry, there are companies that sell waterproof belts and pouches etc.
-**Other things you can do**
+==== Other things you can do ====
 Join the [Outdoor Swimming Society](http://www.outdoorswimmingsociety.com/) or the [River & Lake Swimming Association](http://www.river-swimming.co.uk/) and help campaign for more access for wild swimmers.
@@ Line 142: / Line 142: @@
-## Further resources
+===== Forum =====
-- [Beginners' guide to wild swimming](https://www.lowimpact.org/categories/wild-swimming/further-info/beginners-guide-to-wild-swimming)
+This topic belongs to the section [[gt:bushcraft|Bushcraft & Nature]]. You can ask questions or add information on the corresponding [Forum section](https://forum.growingthecommons.org/t/bushcraft).
-- [Outdoor Swimming Society](https://www.outdoorswimmingsociety.com/) - free-to-join organisation set up to promote outdoor swimming
+===== Further resources =====
+- [Beginners' guide to wild swimming](https://www.lowimpact.org/categories/wild-swimming/further-info/beginners-guide-to-wild-swimming)
+- [Outdoor Swimming Society](https://www.outdoorswimmingsociety.com/) - free-to-join organisation set up to promote outdoor swimming
 - [River & Lake Swimming Association](https://www.river-swimming.co.uk/) - the first national organisation set up to safeguard the interests of open water swimmers
+- [WildSwimming](https://www.wildswimming.co.uk/) - find wild swimming spots
+- [The wild swimming brothers](https://thewildswimmingbrothers.com/)
+- [The Wild Swimming Co](https://thewildswimming.co.uk/) - events, festival, holidays
+===== Related topics =====
+- [[pond:ponds|Ponds]]
+- [[ntaw:nature_awareness|Nature awareness]]
+- [[ntsw:natural_swimming_pools|Natural swimming pools]]
+- [[coas:coastal_foraging|Coastal foraging]]
+- [[natt:nature_therapy|Nature therapy]]
-## Specialist curators of this topic
+===== Specialist curators of this topic =====