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
A 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.