 Cumberland Esk If there's a better place for a dip in any Lake District valley, I'd like to know about it. Richard Ratcliffe
 Daniel Start The beck water pools are so beautiful, after a long hot walk I have been bathing even in becks much colder, but only for a few seconds, and I never really bathed (submerged) in an Alpine tarn - too cold even after many hot days. Helmut Hudler (Austria)
 Case study
Anyway, enough of the serious stuff. It's the swimming that you want to know about and two books listed here would do well to help you in your decisions. There has been some activity on the message board concerning this very topic recently and perhaps before the summer is out more of us will plan shorter walks in readiness for plunging into some of Lakeland'd finest fresh water. I would recommend following some of the links here which include excellent input by the Hileys (see below) as well as a few chosen words from the message board. If you need specific pieces of advice I would certainly recommend posting a comment on the message board in order to seek some response. Of course, the non-affiliated links will provide even more information and the Internet is just awash with discussion. Whatever your interest, I do hope you can take a wild dip this year and baptise yourself in some of nature's finest combinations of hydrogen and oxygen. We tend to take our water for granted, but in such locations when you can find it, it really is a blessing and you should feel a member of a more privileged few. Happy fellwa..... wild swimming! Wild Swimming with Loweswatercam
Roger and Ann Hiley have very kindly allowed to link to some of their recent wild swimming adventures. For those familiar to their excellent website, many will be well aware of their dogs' obsession with the water, but every now and again you'll witness Roger and Ann taking to the water! As Roger states, "There are lots of places to swim in the Lakes but the problem is usually the temperature!" Used to enjoy swimming in Langstrath myself but not sure I could pull myself back out nowadays! Dave Brown
Two very good publications which examine wild swimming in its own right are included here. They are less a read, but more of an encyclopaedic database for reference. Daniel Start's book is excellent with 150 locations described all over Great Britain but with specific chapters on Wales and the Lakes and Dales. Even for OFC members positioned around the country it includes locations as far apart as North Devon, Kent, The Usk and even as far as Skye. I think it would include a suitable place for anyone in the UK who might be tempted by the idea of Wild Swimming.
 Wild Swimming (£14.95 - paperback. Seen for £11.49 on Amazon )
Publisher's description:
On a hot summer day, what could be more refreshing than slipping into the cool, clear waters of a secret lake? And what could be more magical than plunging into a hidden waterfall pool? This book explores Britain's favourite swimming holes. It provides practical information you need to enjoy 150 magical swims across the UK.
Publisher's description:
A guide to outdoor swimming in Britain from the Outer Hebrides to the Isles of Scilly . It contains information for would-be adventurers to make their own journeys, with over 300 referenced swim spots.
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