A decade of downstream: Reflections from Lock to Lock

As we pause to look back over the last ten years of the Lock to Lock Wild Swim Series, what rises to the surface isn’t just the miles swum or the events held, it’s the people, the places, and the quiet power of swimming in nature, together.

The heart of the swim: people first

From the very beginning, Lock to Lock has always placed swimmers at the centre of the experience. Every event has been shaped by the individuals who show up – with courage, curiosity, and a willingness to embrace the unknown.

It’s in these moments that we see the best of human nature: generosity, grit, joy, and a sense of belonging that forms quietly, in shared strokes downstream.

Celebrating the landscape

We are endlessly grateful for the beautiful waterways that carry us. The upper stretches of the River Thames wind through some of the UK’s most peaceful, organic landscapes – places that feel untouched, timeless. We don’t take these environments for granted.

Each swim is a way to meet the river with respect, to move through it as guests and guardians.

Exploration, not competition

Lock to Lock has never been about racing. It’s about discovery – of the self, the surroundings, and the sense of freedom that comes with moving downstream. Whether you swim fast or slow, in a group or solo, the journey is yours to shape.

What matters most is showing up, getting in, and letting the river take you where it will.

The noble art of being

There’s a quiet philosophy that runs through Lock to Lock: that being in nature humbles us. It strips away the noise, the pressure, the striving – and leaves us with something simple and essential.

In many ways, wild swimming teaches us the noble art of being – of finding contentment in movement, stillness in motion, and strength in letting go.