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Droughts in the Summer and Floods in the Winter, the Catastrophic state of British Rivers

Dec 4, 2019

Droughts in the Summer and Floods in the Winter, the Catastrophic state of British Rivers

By Eleanor Doughty of I News: How clean is your local river? In Scotland, less than half of rivers are in good condition – and according to the Environment Agency, just 14 per cent of English rivers are in good health. An investigation in August found that no English river can be certified as safe for wild swimming, with 86 per cent falling short of the EU’s ecological standard. A number of factors affect whether a river is in good or bad health, explains Simon Evans, chief

A Blast from the Past

Apr 26, 2018

A Blast from the Past

The Melton Times reports: New photo exhibition is a fascinating look back through Melton’s history. An exhibition displaying fascinating images of the town’s past was opened to the public on Saturday and it will run through to July 7. Many of the pictures, which have been taken from collections kept by the Thorpe End museum and the Record Office for Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland, have not previously been seen by the general public. There is also an image showing outdo

Swimmers plunge in for Shrewsbury’s Severn Mile river challenge

Aug 24, 2017

Swimmers plunge in for Shrewsbury’s Severn Mile river challenge

The Shropshire Star reports: Despite debris, rising water levels and a strong current, more than 140 swimmers took to the waters of the River Severn. The Severn Mile, which is now in its 10th year, attracts open water swimmers from all over the Midlands. Aged between 17 and 78, the swarm of swimmers entered the water in waves at the Sabrina Boat pontoon on Victoria Quay, Shrewsbury at 11am August 20 2017. Some were wearing wet-suits while others preferred to take the traditio

Europeans say yes, the British: “Nein, Nein, Nein”?

Aug 10, 2017

Europeans say yes, the British: “Nein, Nein, Nein”?

Having spent a fortnight touring France, Germany, Austria and Switzerland I am left with many questions about the disparity between European and British swimming culture. From my perspective as a swimmer, and as Brexit draws closer, I wonder if we were ever really part of Europe at all. Switzerland is bordered, and very much influenced by its neighbours. When it comes to swimming there is no need for an ‘Outdoor Swimming Society’ or a ‘Wild Swimming’ guide, because in every r

Return to Wild Swimming as Pool Closes

Jul 14, 2017

Return to Wild Swimming as Pool Closes

Northamptonshire Telegraph reports: Swimmers hit by the closure of Kettering’s pool have started training in the River Nene because of a lack of water space. It’s been closed since June 20, when a piece of paneling fell from the ceiling. With Wellingborough’s pool also closed for planned repairs and pool space elsewhere already booked, swimmers from Kettering took a novel approach to training last night (Wednesday) – by diving into the River Nene at Wadenhoe. Kettering Swimm

'Swim the Cam' will make a splash in Cambridge this weekend

Jul 13, 2017

'Swim the Cam' will make a splash in Cambridge this weekend

Cambridge Independent reports: Wild swimming is a very popular sport – and one that has a long history in Cambridge. Places for this year’s Swim the Cam sold out within days of being advertised on social media. That’s 50 people who will swim the 3.8km from Bryon’s Pool to Sheep’s Green at 11am on Saturday, July 15. The event revives a competition which once attracted about 200 swimmers to the city’s river and could, like swims of the past, become an annual fixture. “The respo

Forced Out of the River – by Swimmer’s Itch in Cambridge

Jun 5, 2017

Forced Out of the River – by Swimmer’s Itch in Cambridge

Cambridge News reports: Swimmers are being forced out of the River Cam after being “attacked” by parasitic mites that have spread rapidly in the water due to the warm weather. The parasitic duck mite appears in the River Cam at this time of year and can cause a condition known as ‘swimmer’s itch’ (or cercarial dermatitis). Ted Hunt is the treasurer of the Newnham Riverbank Club. He said the mites always appeared at this time of year. This year is worse than normal, he said, b

Wild Swimming Access for All!

May 28, 2017

Wild Swimming Access for All!

After enjoying the wonderful facilities open to outdoor swimmers around the world, swimmers here in the UK can’t help but feel disgruntled that their liberty to swim in rivers and lakes has for many years been denied, and especially so with the scorching weather we have just been enjoying this week. We want to go dipping but the sign says NO SWIMMING! The good news is that things are changing. The impossible is being achieved, albeit very slowly. This is not to say that its a

Swimmer advised “ A May night might not be the best time to go swimming”

May 15, 2017

Swimmer advised “ A May night might not be the best time to go swimming”

Eastern Daily Press reports: Fire crews stood down after man swimming in River Wensum in Norwich sparks alert. A man swimming sparked drama in Norwich city centre when fire crews went to the scene believing he had got into difficulty. A member of the public called Norfolk police because they were concerned at what they thought was a person in trouble in the River Wensum near the Ribs of Beef pub on Wensum Street. Police contacted Norfolk Fire and Rescue and the service sent a

Swimming beach proposed for Willamette River, Oregon USA

May 10, 2017

Swimming beach proposed for Willamette River, Oregon USA

KGW reports: In Mayor Ted Wheeler’s proposed city budget released this week, there’s an interesting $158,000 line item in the park bureau budget: Build a swimming beach under the west side of the Marquam Bridge. The idea is to get more people access to the water on warm days. The city says the river is safe, just don’t drink the water. To get people to love the Willamette again, and not just view it as industrial, Mayor Ted Wheeler has talked about turning Poetry Beach, into

The Joy of Swimming in Lido’s…

Jun 27, 2016

The Joy of Swimming in Lido’s…

Jenny Landreth of the Telegraph reports: The joy of swimming in lidos – and what they tell us about ourselves. There are people for whom the notion of a lido …is not appealing at all. Some people would only consider dipping their toe into an outdoor pool on a Mediterranean summer holiday where the temperatures barely drop below 30 degrees. Some of course would prefer not to share with anyone outside immediate family. Some swimmers need a roof. And for ‘wild’ swimmers, lidos

Swimming in Seine planned for 2017

May 19, 2016

Swimming in Seine planned for 2017

The Connection reports: Swimming in the Seine could become a reality in the next year as mayor Anne Hidalgo has launched a 43-point plan to clean up the Paris river. Aiming to make the Seine a focal point if the city wins the 2024 Olympic Games, she wants to “improve the water quality” and open up the Bassin de la Villette for swimmers next year. Swimming has been banned on the river since 1923 except by special permit and the last major event to be held on the Seine was the

River Swimming at Trent Bridge Nottingham

Jan 21, 2016

River Swimming at Trent Bridge Nottingham

This site was a very popular swimming place, later reconstructed with steps into the water for swimmers. Swimming often took place under bridges as they provided easy access to the water whilst at the same time they hid swimmers from public view. Discover more about the history of British swimming… #Nottingham #riverswimming #TrentBridge #wildswimming #history

Swimmer Encouraged to Come Out of the Water

Nov 26, 2015

Swimmer Encouraged to Come Out of the Water

The Eastern Daily Press reports: Emergency services were called to reports of a man in the River Wensum in Norwich city centre on 25 November 2015. A Norfolk police spokesman said officers were contacted by concerned members of the public about a man in the river near Wensum Street at about 11am. However the spokesman said when officers went to the scene they found that the man had chosen to swim there. Fire crews from Sprowston and Carrow also attended the incident along wit

Enjoy a Wild Swimming Weekend in Prague

Lampreys are Swimming Back up English Rivers!

Sep 5, 2015

Lampreys are Swimming Back up English Rivers!

The Telegraph Reports: Lampreys, the fish said to have been responsible for the death of King Henry I, are staging a resurgence in English rivers where they have not been seen since the 1800s. The snake-like creatures, long regarded as a royal delicacy, were virtually wiped out in English rivers as a result of pollution and the construction of weirs and other obstacles that prevented them reaching their spawning grounds upstream. Simon Toms, fisheries expert at the Environmen

Leicesters’ Key Role in Swimming History

Jul 25, 2015

Leicesters’ Key Role in Swimming History

The City of Leicester holds a rich treasure trove of history dating back to Roman times. Discover a 2,000 year history that will surprise, sadden and hopefully inspire you. #JennyFletcher #history #swimming #riverswimming #LearningtoSwim #AbbeyPark #wildswimming #SwimmingPoolsandSpas #BedehouseBathingStation #Leicester #JohnJarvis #DanielLambert

Public Swimming Returns after 50 Years of Dirty Water

Jul 16, 2015

Public Swimming Returns after 50 Years of Dirty Water

WBUR reports: When you think of the Charles River, a lot of things come to mind. But probably not, say, the backstroke. However, that changed Saturday morning. It has been unthinkable for decades but members of the general public actually swam in the Charles near the Hatch Shell in Boston. Recreational swimming in the river has not been legal since the 1950s, when it was banned because the Charles was so polluted. A lot of work and about $500 million have been spent on cleani

Wild Swimmers to Return to the Seine – Paris

Jul 10, 2015

Wild Swimmers to Return to the Seine – Paris

The Telegraph reports: “Anne Hidalgo pledges to end a swimming ban for Parisians in place since 1923 by having residents of the French capital bathing in the river after the 2024 Olympic Games she hopes will be held in the city.” The announcement was made yesterday as the Mayer “…pledged to have resident of the French capital swimming in the Seine river by 2024, in her latest bid to clean up the city.” “She said it was her dearest wish that the swimming phase of the Games’ tr

Is Swimming Participation Falling or are Swimmers Just Moving Outdoors?

Jun 16, 2015

Is Swimming Participation Falling or are Swimmers Just Moving Outdoors?

Swim Vortex Reports: “Organisers of one of Britain’s leading Open Water swimming events, The Henley Classic, have poured cold water on Sport England statistics that show the sport in decline when it comes to participation.” Swimming “has possibly never been in better shape” “There is a massive wave of momentum building up in the open water swimming world, which gets no mention in Sport England’s latest proclamations on participant numbers. Their focus would appear to be on po