Lake District wild swimming

19/04/2012 at 23:28

As the thread says: is it too cold at the moment for wild swimming in the tarns? I swim every New Years morning in the sea but I know from experience that fresh water can be much colder than the sea ever gets.

I'm wild camping in the lakes this weekend near a tarn and the opportunity of a wild swim as well is very tempting.

Edited: 19/04/2012 at 23:29

StoneHuggingHippy

19/04/2012 at 23:31

Brrrrrrrrrr, rather you than me, but then again i can't swim.

I guess "cold" is relative isn't it, personally i'd want a dry suit on before even considering it.

Include a little history in your walks. Pecsaetan - Ancient Derbyshire, Staffordshire and South Yorkshire - http://pecsaetan.weebly.com/

* Diddi * Im on Mars btw !!!

20/04/2012 at 02:11

its something me and wifey have done on occasion but even after a long hot summer the water can be breathtakingly freezing but its something u get used too after the initial shock.
Swan in a river in Langdale October last and it was 23 degrees outta the water but body numbing in the river tho great fun jumping in and out and one to remember

warmer at the edges of Tarns colder in middle so be aware.

Paddy Dillon

20/04/2012 at 07:42

Not my scene... but Windermere has attracted tens of thousands of swimmers during the Great North Swim. However... it's a summer event and is very low-level... compared to tarns in the fells right now.

That bastard Skip

20/04/2012 at 08:11

Sean of StridingEdge.net seems to swim in tarns in summer temperatires AFAIK - you could drop him a message through his website.

Guy Hurst

20/04/2012 at 08:32

IME the temperature of tarns varies a lot depending on depth, how much water flows in and out, amount of sun they get etc. Not that I'd swim in any of them at this time of year -- although at least the cold should keep the leeches inactive.

Paddy Dillon

20/04/2012 at 08:50

An old teacher of mine, born in 1938, who was writing guidebooks as early as 1963, used to have a statement printed inside the front cover of all of them...

"Ambition - To swim in every river in the North Country"

He only died six months ago, and I have no idea if he finally swam in all the rivers, but I did accompany him in swimming ten rivers in the Yorkshire Dales in a single day. I think one of his most daring swims was down through Hell Gill at Mallerstang. One of his biggest mis-judgements involved swimming both ways across Derwent Water. Apparently, he'd met a Dutch girl who was about to attempt that very feat, and being one of life's gentlemen, he gallantly decided to accompany her, in case she got into any difficulty. To cut a long swim short... he was half-way across when she passed him on her return journey!

Edited: 20/04/2012 at 09:01

Grumps

20/04/2012 at 13:09

I've enjoyed a swim in a few tarns - Summer days only though. Stay in the top few feet and it's bracing but gets more invigorating if you dive. And at the risk of sounding like my mother - you'll not be swimming alone I hope.

Quite a few leeches round the edges of some tarns and they're quick to latch on. Only little 'uns mind.

Edited: 20/04/2012 at 13:10