Outdoor swimming

May 6, 2024May 6, 2024

Swimming at High Dam Tarn

Swimming at High Dam Tarn – I have been outdoor swimming for around six years now but this was my first visit to High Dam with my lovely friend Lindsay. High Dam is a beautiful area near Finsthwaite, at the south end of Windermere. It is a gorgeous, magical woodland area with oak trees, birches, larch and pine trees. Carpetted in a range of bracken, heather, bluebells and wild garlic, winding trails and footpaths guide you around.

We swim often together and had a free day off so decided to venture further afield. Our last swim had been at Devils Bridge, which was lovely, but theres always the slight worry about currents! As I’d never been to High Dam (but had heard about it) we opted for a trip up the M6.

It was a beautiful sunny day, after what seems like months of rain, it actually felt spring like. We had a short hike to the tarn from the car park. A very pretty warm up before getting into the water! I loved the woodland, it was so peaceful and quiet, smelt gorgeous and fresh, and was very picturesque.

We changed into our cossies and headed for the water. There was no one else swimming, but a couple of women sitting by the water. That first feeling of stinging when you get into the water, a few gasps and controlling your breathing, then, bliss. Oh I do love that feeling once youve got over the cold. We had a lovely swim up and down the tarn. Looking at the woodland views and listening to the birds and some vocal geese at the far end of the tarn. So Beautiful and so peaceful.

After our swim we left the water, dried off, dressed (although I forgot my knickers!) and sat in the sun eating and drinking to warm up. Lots of good chatter, and then another walk to get the blood flowing again.

Days like this are just fabulous, they fill me up and get me ready to face what life throws. I’m so very lucky to have some wonderful friends who love these things as much as I do. Find something you love doing, and do it often 🙂

To read about other swims please click here.

January 30, 2022February 28, 2024

Wild Swimming in Wastwater

I’ve been to Wasdale a few times and walked the screes and Scafell Pike but had never been in the lake….the deepest lake in England…until this weekend. I’ve carried on swimming at least once a week through the winter, usually in Capernwray but other times in lakes. But had never been swimming in Wastwater. This weekend I wanted to brave my fears of going in the deep, dark, cold water of Wastwater.

The lake has easy access from laybys on the road. On the Friday the weather was windy and damp, very low cloud over the surrounding mountains, but we thought ‘its now or never’!

Zipping up wetsuits in anticipation we headed down the grassy slope to the water. The wind was blowing hard across the lake and there were sizeable waves! We took a rocky slope which shelved quite steeply into deep water….ooohhhh that cold feeling when the water runs inside your wetsuit… I love it! Swimming was a little difficult whilst being slapped in the face with waves but once we’d stopped yelping we swam towards the middle of the lake. It was amazing. The water felt clean (but looked really dark underneath). I had forgotten to put my goggles on so kept my face above the water (apart from the waves!)

After 15 minutes of swimming around, bobbing about and marvelling at the scenery I swam to shore and got warm. I’ve got that off to a tee now…quick speedy wetsuit removal, dry, dress, coffee, chocolate! 🙂

I loved the swim so much I decided on another one on the Sunday morning before heading home. The water was still this time, no waves, still dark and cold. I had goggles on this time and managed some front crawl and looking down into the dark below was beautiful. I am normally nervous about looking into the depths of a lake but because the water felt so clear it didn’t feel at all spooky. Being weightless, supported by the water, whether looking up at the beautiful mountains or down into the darkness below brings about such a huge feeling of being alive and safe. I absolutely love swimming in the outdoors.

For my experience of swimming in Ullswater click here.

For more information about wild swimming in the Lake District click here.

January 23, 2022February 28, 2024

Wild Swimming in Ullswater

Last weekend we travelled to Patterdale in the Lake District to swim in Ullswater, a lake I’ve read about in my wild swimming book but never been in. I know the area really well as I have run/walked the full Ullswater way around 8 times. Its a beautiful area and I was keen to get an outdoors dip. That weekend we got, not one, but two Ullswater swims.

Parking at Patterdale we headed onto the trail towards Howtown, rucksacks packed with snacks, warm clothes and a jet-boil for a well needed post swim brew. After walking for a couple of miles we came to a tiny track through the ferns down towards a small shingle beach next to the lake.

I had a bad wrist (don’t ask…nasty cat bite!) so I braved it in a cossie. In we waded, the water was fresh and clear but felt really cold! Ullswater is known for being a deep, cold body of water. It certainly was. Deep breath and swim…it was fabulous. The scenery, the cold, the freshness of the water, the stillness. Beautiful. People were walking on the trail and waved to us. It was great seeing Ullswater from a different perspective. We got out, dried off in the sheltered cove and after re-fuelling, headed back to the van.

The following day we decided to try a different location so drove towards Aira Force on the other side of the lake. The car park was opposite the lake on the other side of a busy road. We changed and (again, me in my still damp cossie) entered the water. Not as clear over this side and still had the great cold feeling. We swam around a bit until…something touched my leg…cue inner panic

Anyone who swims with me knows I’m scared of jelly fish and generally anything else in the water. After remembering there are no jelly fish in the lakes, I calmed down a bit…just reeds…probably. We swam a bit longer but with the ‘leg touching’ incident and the busy main road very close by, this swim was not as perfect as the first one.

However, wild swimming in Ullswater twice in two days in a new lake was great and the sign of a good weekend!

Where to next?…need to get my book out again.

To read about wild swimming in Wastwater click here.

For more information about wild swimming in the Lake District click here.

January 23, 2022February 28, 2024

An active holiday in Cornwall…….seals and surfers!

I recently spent an active holiday in Cornwall. Ten days of sea, sun and sand (the first week was sunny anyway). I’d never been down there before and found the coastal views really stunning. I had taken my bike, paddle board and of course wetsuit and swimming gear, ready for some outdoor activities.

The first few days were spent walking the coastal paths around the Lizard, Lands End and Penzance. Really stunning. We saw some seals and had some lovely swims and a paddle board. Unlike Morecambe bay, the sea was clear and the sand was soft and sand-like! Kynance Cove was just beautiful. Had a lovely swim there too.

On the second week we moved over towards Newquay and Padstow. The coastal walks were still great but I preferred the other area further down. The sea however was something else. Its surfers paradise. I’ve never been in such huge waves! Not much swimming went on, but lots of fun in the waves, whilst watching out for the surfers riding the waves!

The weather turned wet and windy so the walks were shorter and the ‘swims’ got even choppier. I’d come off my bike the previous week so my knee was recovering but I think the sea water helped with that.

With the weather turning we decided to return home a few days earlier. Time to wash the sand out of everything!! 🙂

Since getting home I’ve had a couple more swims at Capernwray. The water has definitely cooled down now but am hoping to keep swimming all winter like last year…watch this space!

To read about my swims in Ullswater and Wastwater click here and here.