Issues

Once you start swimming outdoors you soon realise it is not straightforward. You find you are coming up against issues such as safety and access. Here are some pages on the issues.

Access, legality, landowners

PAGE on ACCESS and LIABILITY, including the OSS guide and much more

Landowner liability and swimmers

Landowner Concerns: Allaying Fears; Strategies.

(Download) National Water Safety Forum’s Water Safety principles, https://www.nationalwatersafety.org.uk/media/1151/water-safety-principles.pdf

Sixteen reasons why we need UK-wide swimming access in reservoirs

Swimming in clay and gravel lakes (post)

River access: the myth that we can only swim in 3% of rivers (post)

Swimming safety

Swim safety in rivers and lakes, and why it is important to be able to and to learn how to do so safely and enjoyably

Q&A with key info on swimming safely

More info: What you might want to know if you have just started swimming outdoors (detailed note, with index)

The Survive section of the Outdoor Swimming Society website covers a wide range of swim safety issues

Getting Started in Inland Outdoor Swimming

Understanding Drowning Statistics, on the Outdoor Swimming Society website, covers some of the issues and adds further analysis on the risk level of swimming.

PAGE on Bathing water quality with more links and info

Swimming after rain and in bad weather

Taking responsibility for your own safety is part of the Outdoor Swimmers Code

Other issues and info

Being a responsible swimmer, for environment, others and your own safety in Outdoor Swimmers Code, and more from OSS on respecting the environment in Swimming without a Trace

Presentation at VSG guidance launch on swimming responsibly and landowners engaging with swimmers

Outdoor Swimming in Norfolk and the Brecks

Swimming in Tidal Rivers and Estuaries

Swimming in the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads with links and notes to download on swimming in tidal rivers, getting started in open water, and places to swim in the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads.

Bathing in the Brecks: Outdoor Swimming past, present & future

There is a separate section on the website,  OS Brecks, about two projects on outdoor swimming in the Brecks, with one – Healing Waters – focussing on swim safety and access, and the other – Tales from the River – on history, including swim places. These projects are part of The Brecks Fen Edge & Rivers Landscape Partnership Scheme (BFER), supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

swims and swim places, and related issues