Outdoor swimming

I braved the arctic temperatures of the river at Figheldean this Bank holiday weekend (above) and despite the grumblings of a nearby fisherman about the unsuitability of the water (river rats and Weil's disease... tosh, i say, he wanted the place to himself) and total submersion feeling not unlike being stabbed with thousands of tiny daggers and then doused in acid, it was lots of fun. The Sunday before i had nervously swum in a puddle masquerading as a lake in the middle of a sheep field, while recovering from the nearby festival Haselstock, so this was a definite improvement. nothing kills the hangover like a brisk dip in the open air.

i completely love swimming outside in secluded river spots or lakes when it's sunny and crisp. It's simultaneously romantic, adventurous and liberating. the end of summer tends to be good as by then the water has warmed up, and you can weave through wispy reeds or be swept along by the currents and know that when you scrabble back onto the banks, the sun will warm you in no time.

seems that's not for everyone though, and the Outdoor Swimming Society has recommended some glorious spots for autumnal swimming. not for the fainthearted, i fear... my trick is to look up where i am going on the OSS map and the find somewhere neaby. or just explore and see what i find.

1. Aveton Gifford, Devon. Enjoy the changing colours on the riverbank in this glorious shallow estuary swim - the water is shallow enough to wade, and with a sandy bottom it's like going for a glorious long snorkel.
2. Loch Oich, Great Glen, Scotland. Yellow leaves hang suspended in the water, which is black as space. A small loch: strong swimmers with a wetsuit and bright hat may be confident enough to cross it (pick a bright tree opposite). Pub lunch by a fire in Fort Augustus afterwards. 3. Tarn Hows, Lake District. Beautiful surroundings, easy entry and exit, and the water is shallow so it's warmer than some of the big lakes - particularly if the sun is out heating up the surface layer. Coffee and cake is not far away, and it's surrounded by trees so there's a cascade of colours going on.
4. Durdle Door, Dorset. Last autumn, over 30 of us swam from here to Lulworth Cove on a social swim (3.5km), after camping among crispy leaves. Required logistics (Safety boats, tide times & direction), but a dip at any stretch of this coach is glorious - in summer, the glory of Durdle Door can be ruined by too many people. KR, Wild Swim & map.
5. Sharrah Pool, Dartmoor, Devon. Moor water is never warm, but the Dart is clear, and the walk through the ancient woods here makes the swim particularly glorious. Not suitable after rainfall.
6. The Cam, Cambridgeshire. An old OSS favourite, and the dying vegetation are opening up large areas of bank at the moment. ST, Wild Swim & map.
7. Broad Haven (south), Pembrokeshire. A recent favourite, and you may well encounter seals (before they are pupping). Swim around Church Rock in flippers (beware rips), dip in, or walk along the cliffs and skinny dip in a deserted cove.
8. Nanjizel, Cornwall. Should, in my opinion, replace nearby Lands End as our marker of the wild far end of Cornwall. Recommended to me by OSS members before a recent trip, this is a place where seals own inaccessible beaches and black shags dive through clear waves along the shoreline. Nanjizel is reachable by foot, and Zawn Pyg, a 20 metre chasm in the cliffs with a light shaft that illuminates the clear Cornish water, is the swim. At low tide you can dip in the tiny rock-dammed pool (suitable for children), and in calm weather swim through the chasm. If the sea is not too big and you are a good swimmer, swim out west to a little beach and cave; or further towards interesting rock formations in the direction of Carn Boel.
9. Buscot to Kelmscott, The Thames, Oxfordshire (or part of it). Site of one of my favourite swims ever: go late in the season, enjoy the lack of people on grey days, have a big pub lunch afterwards.
10. Feshiebridge, Scottish Highlands. Clear pool of water for a brave dip, and river shoots and canyons (when water conditions suitable) for anyone in wetsuits with a senese of adventure. 11. High House Tarn, Glaramara, Lake District. See pic. Great spot for a remote wild camp, and a shallow dip. After sun, the peat makes the water surprisingly warm.