More than a swim
I had no idea of what would come of entering the 4K Swim Oxford event in 2015 but 7 years on I would never have thought it so transformative
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Wild Open Swim
Inspirations from swimming through the seasons
The Wild Open Swim Blog is a celebration of open water swimming all year and the photographs, words and artwork that it has inspired.
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Guest
May 5, 20233 min
The art and challenge of wild swimming
The Lock to Lock wild swim series is not just a competition, but a celebration of the art of swimming and the beauty of the natural world.
137 views
Ruth Rayner
Mar 3, 20234 min
1000 consecutive days and more…
Ruth Rayner didn't set out to swim every day for for any particular length of time but somehow it became a way of coping
275 views
Annika Surry
Aug 19, 20224 min
From cold water to open water: the continuing journey
Annike describes her ongoing journey - the evolution she has made from cold water dipper to open water swimmer, and the great benefits felt
2,676 views
Darrin Roles
Jun 28, 20223 min
The Lock to Lock 4k
Images from the Lock to Lock 4k and reflections from the organiser and some partipants.
339 views
Melanie
Feb 12, 20226 min
A Blind Swimmer’s Vision
What is it like to be a partially-sighted wild swimmer? A double paralympic champion Melanie writes about her wild swimming journey.
720 views
Debbie, Emma and Darrin
Jan 15, 20226 min
Every Body Counts
A story of how two wild swimmers in Swim Oxford's 4K Lock-to-Lock swim inadvertently helped to turn around the life of one of my clients.
12,277 views
Gemma Ferrier, Mel Haward and Lisa Keeping
Dec 5, 20218 min
The Cool Vibe
The cryo bio of three swimmers reflecting on cold water exposure, what it has meant in their lives and why they keep doing it. Why do I...
482 views
Fiona Tomlinson
Nov 20, 20214 min
Wild swimming with teenagers in West Cork, Ireland
There is something about swimming in the sea, something constant and comforting, nostalgic in a way.
3,231 views
Three wild swimmers: Fiona, Darrin and Kath
Nov 6, 20214 min
It's beginning to look a bit like winter
Three wild swimmers reflect on the return of winter swims
252 views
Simon Griffiths
Oct 23, 20215 min
Lock to Lock SwimRun with Simon Griffiths
Simon Griffiths reflects on his performance at the 2021 Lock to Lock Swimrun
205 views
Darrin Roles
Sep 26, 20212 min
Swim-Run 2021 photos from the day
An early misty September morning saw the start of the beautiful Lock to Lock Swim-Run on the banks of the Thames at Eynsham,...
248 views
Fiona Undrill & Kath Fotheringham
Sep 4, 20218 min
SwimRun: from the feet up...
Here is a beginners guide to understanding swimrun gear, as well as money-saving suggestions for getting by without the big outlay
616 views
Chloe De Grave
Aug 15, 20213 min
Embracing adventure
The events have given me an opportunity to challenge myself, to test my limits, to not overthink it and just embrace the adventure.
108 views
Fiona Undrill & Kath Fotheringham
Jun 13, 20215 min
Swim the 10k this July: mad fantasy or achievable challenge?
Two swimmers talk through the reasons to do the Lock to Lock 10k this year, or rather one swimmer tries to persuade her friend to join...
317 views
kath Fotheringham
May 29, 20214 min
Is it clean…?
We all have strategies to risk-assess the water every time we swim. Is it clean enough to swim in?
535 views
Fiona Undrill & Katrine Gotliebsen
Apr 24, 20215 min
All year swimming in North Norway
open water swimming all year round near the arctic circle
515 views
Darrin Roles & Stuart Hacker
Apr 10, 20215 min
Swim catch up
Catch-up on Lock to Lock swim preparation after a long layoff, with Darrin Roles and Stuart Hacker
353 views
Annika Surry
Mar 27, 20214 min
Cold water has changed my life
I love the kick, the buzzing feeling that awakens the whole nervous system and all the senses I love the “I am alive feeling” I get.
1,113 views
Darrin Roles
Mar 13, 20214 min
For whom the drop calls…
The uninitiated, not knowing this beast, may not appreciate the urgency with which cold hands dress themselves. The drop waits for no-one.
577 views
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