Swim Wild Podcast

It is with a tiny bit of sadness that today I wish my podcast a fond farewell. Three years and 80 episodes is something I am totally proud of. When I started, there wasn't another wild swimming podcast that I could find, so i decided to fill the gap. Today there are many many to choose from and I hope you will switch your allegiances across to them and give them your support. I have to say the biggest thank you to every single person who has spoken to me. It isn't an easy thing to do and many of us don't really believe we have anything interesting to say. And yet, each episode have revealed a slightly different aspect of swimming outdoors and has said something about the range of characters that enjoy it. Thank you so much also to Megan of Flotsam Prints for designing my updated logo, to Beccy Owen Music for my gorgeous intro and outro pieces and to the many people who have listened. For the record, just a few statistics! We have had 59,078 downloads, with Alice Goodridge's episode topping out at 1420 downloads We have listeners in 93 countries, including Egypt, Costa Rica and Singapore Most listeners are in the UK, USA, Ireland and Australia Most people listen on their Apple device So, as a worthy final episode, my guest this week truly epitomises bravery. If you are like me, you will be used to hearing "ooh, you're brave" from non-outdoor swimmers when you tell them what you do. And to a point, they are right. You are brave. But this week's guest, Filipa Vance, takes brave to a whole new level. On July 11th 2021, at 11am, she and 6 other women will take part in the Henley Swim as part of the This Girl Can team. All 7 team members use outdoor swimming as a way to heal. The pain may be physical or mental and the scars may be on the outside or the inside, but all 7 women are fighting back from adversity and leading the way. I will leave Filipa to tell her own story on the podcast and won't spill any beans here, but trust me you will be inspired, amazed, in awe and probably quite emotional by hearing her story. You will definitely be uplifted by her spirit. She is one of the most beautiful humans I have spoken to and it was my privilege  to interview her for my last ever episode. Thanks Filipa, and good luck at Henley on Sunday xxx                Thanks to Nancy Farmer and David Perks for some of the photos used

This is the penultimate episode of the Swim Wild Podcast and I'm delighted that my guest could be Richelle Flanagan, talking about her Dopamine Dunkers challenge running throughout May 2021. Richelle has been diagnosed with Young Onset Parkinson's Disease and since her diagnosis has been to the Parkinson's World Congress and become an ambassador, raising awareness of the condition and connecting with other people around the world. The pandemic has been hard for everyone in so many ways, not least financially difficult. But if you are lucky to have not lost your income, and if you have a few Euros to spare, I would really appreciate it if you would go to Richelle's Go Fund Me page and bung her a few quid once you have listened to her episode. Richelle wasn't a wild swimmer and committed to swimming every day in May to raise money to enable others diagnosed with Young Onset Parkinson's to attend the next World Congress in Barcelona in 2022. You will hear in the episode what an adventure and revelation this challenge has become. You can find out more by searching for #WPC4YOPD Other things we talk about that you might like to know more about Richelle's fundraiser, Parkinson's Association of Ireland, Matt Eagles, Nug changing robe, Seapoint, Forty Foot, Coeliac  

This week's podcast guest is Kelly from Seattle. Find out more about swimming in Puget Sound, where it doesn't usually get warmer than 11 degrees C, and yet they still have a jellyfish issue!

The guest this week on Swim Wild podcast is Lenka Janiurek, author of fabulous new book 'Watermarks; life, death and swimming.'   If you are the kind of wild swimmer who likes to immerse in all sorts of culture connected with swimming, this is a book to add to your 'to read' pile.   It sits alongside books such as The Outrun, I Am An Island and Wintering, as an exploration of being alongside and immersed in water as an essential mechanism for making sense of, coping with and thriving in life.   This episode is dedicated to the memory of all women/womxn who have suffered at the hands of male violence, and to the wild swimming women who regularly keep me afloat. RIP Sarah Everard With huge thanks to Lenka for speaking with me so openly, and to publishers Allison and Busby for sharing a copy of the paperback edition with me ahead of publication.

My guest this week is photographer Justine Desmond. If you read Outdoor Swimmer magazine, you will be familiar with her work as one of her photographs was on the front cover of the February 2021 edition and some images from her project entitled 'The Swimmers' are featured in the magazine. In this episode, Justine talks about the importance of a photo shoot being a genuine collaboration with the person she is photographing. She explains how important it was to put out the right invitation to encourage swimmers to come forward to take part feeling happy and comfortable with the process, both of having their photograph taken but also sharing their story of why they swim. Crucially, the invitation included a sense of calling out the negative impact that being bombarded with images of perfect bodies and perfect lives has on our self esteem, with the promise that this project would show real bodies and celebrate their real shapes and diversity. It was an absolute joy speaking to Justine.   Please check out her work here, and look at the specific projects she mentions 'Brighton Peeps' and 'The Swimmers', as well as Portrait of Britain.           Work inspired by Justine's The Swimmers photographs              

This week's guest is Omie Dale. Omie is a young woman who is very busy. She is part of the team at the Black Swimming Association, she is about to become co-host of a local Mental Health Swim, she is a qualified swim coach and lifeguard, and is about to undertake her Outdoor Swim Coach certificate. She's also passionate about outdoor swimming. Omie shares her experiences of growing up in a household where swimming was a valued skill and was non-negotiable in terms of herself and her brothers learning to swim. But she also shares her experiences as a swim coach hearing colleagues share the false assumption that Black people cannot swim. Omie advocates for improving how swim coaches are trained, to make sure they understand intersectionality better so that they can provide inclusive swim teaching for all. She is a passionate, engaged and proactive member of the wild swim community and it was a pleasure to chat to her. Things we talk about that you might want to know more about Omie's website, West reservoir, Beckenham Palace Park, Outdoor Swimmer Magazine, Active Lives Children's Survey report from Sport England, Black Swimming Association, Immerse Hebrides, Keri Anne Payne  

Welcome to the latest edition of Swim Wild podcast. This week's guest is Gill, known on social media as Stoma Chameleon. The episode itself is a complete shot of pure joy. If your levels are getting low, this will definitely top them up. Which some people might find surprising, because Gill is talking about her experience of birth trauma that led to her having a permanent stoma. You could be forgiven for thinking that this might be quite a tough, but worthwhile listen. It definitely is worthwhile, but it is not tough at all. It is about 45 minutes of pure joy and enthusiasm for life that you will find infectious. 30,000 women every year are affected by birth trauma. Gill's message is that life is not over after trauma - on the contrary, life can go on and in unexpected and exciting ways. Before I share the links to all the organisations Gill mentions during our chat, I do have a shout out to anyone who can put Gill in touch with the other channel swimmer who also has a stoma. If you know who this is, please message Gill via any one of her social media routes and put them in touch. All links are below. And finally, if you can donate to her Channel swim fundraising, Ostomy Mermums, please do - here Things you might want to know more about Birth Trauma Association, Jacob's Well Appeal, Colostomy UK Gill's bikini challenge fundraiser Gill's website 

This week's podcast guest is Jacqui.   Based up in the North East, not far from me, Jacqui only took up wild swimming in 2020, but loved it so much, and was so determined to swim trough winter, she set up The Chatter Challenge to help swimmers, new and old, to stay motivated and keep going.   The Chatter Challenge looks likely to become a regular feature amongst existing winter swimming challenges.     Jacqui brings new energy and enthusiasm, an inclusive approach and she has a puppy who looks great in her Chatter Challenge branded Dry Robe! I hope you enjoy listening to her.

Welcome to the last episode of 2020. This is a small treat for any of you missing your swim buddies. It's a group episode. Katy, Justine and Erica join me to talk about starting wild swimming in 2020 and what a gift it has been in a year of so many losses, both big and small. I hope it conjures the illusion of being surrounded by your swimming friends, laughing and joking after a swim, high on adrenaline. However your year is ending, I hope this at least brings a smile and a small ray of hope that even in a tough year, there are new things waiting for us that will bring us joy. Have a peaceful night, and all the love in the world for 2021 Karen xxx

This week’s podcast guest is Ed Accura, creator of A Film Called Blacks Can’t Swim and co-founder of the Black Swimming Association. If you aren’t familiar with the statistics in the UK, 95% of Black adults and 80% of Black children don’t swim. 25% of Black children leave primary school unable to swim, and only 1% of Swim England competitive swimmers are Black or mixed race. The reasons why people from Black and other ethnic minority communities can’t or don’t swim are many and complicated. We can obviously only go into so much detail in the hour we chatted for this podcast. But Ed goes into a lot more depth in his podcast In The Deep End and I recommend you go and give it a listen to learn more But some of the issues include Low or no expectations of Black children to swim Negative messages and stereotypes such as misconceptions that Black people have heavier bones or cannot float Parent’s views, many of whom never learnt to swim themselves Access to pools, to swimming lessons and to opportunities to learn to swim Whether it is something your mates are doing Your experiences growing up Class and poverty play a big part Skin and hair differences and the lack of easy access to protective products to overcome this The Black Swimming Association has a DIPER charter that anyone in support can sign up to. It stands for Diversity Inclusion Participation Equality and Representation of Black, Asian and minority ethnic people in aquatics. And it is so much more than swimming. Being a non-swimmer more or less excludes you from a whole host of other activities too, such as kayaking, body boarding, surfing, rowing, canoeing and more. Ed’s work, alongside his fellow BSA co-founders, is vital, exciting and everyone in the wild swimming community can get behind it. My asks after you listen to this episode are Watch the film Listen to Ed's podcast Listen to Seren Jones’ BBC documentary 'Black girls don't swim' Visit the BSA and give them some support Things we talk about you will want to go and learn more about A Film Called Blacks Can’t Swim, Alice Dearing, In The Deep End podcast, the sequel to A Film Called Blacks Can’t Swim, Seren Jones BBC documentary, Swimming Nature, Black Swimming Association, Danielle Obe and Nemes, Speedo sponsorship of the BSA, the survey Ed talks about, RLSS, Black Lives Matter, Swim England, Ed in his ‘other’ life as a musician!

Welcome to another episode of Swim Wild podcast and this week I'm thrilled to have Emma Duff as my guest. Emma is ordained as a parish priest in the Church of England and our conversation focused quite a lot on the connection for Emma between wild swimming and Christian spirituality.   Whether you have any type of faith or none, I hope you will find the conversation as fascinating as I did. Emma is an honest, thoughtful and generous guest and it was a pleasure to speak to her and to stumble my way through the complexities of trying to put into words those profound feelings we can often feel when we immerse ourselves in wild water. I hope you find something of your own connection to the profound in this episode. Things we talk about you might want to know more about Tynemouth beaches - King Edward's Bay (Eddies) and Longsands, Spanish City, Whitley Bay, fulmars

Welcome to Swim Wild podcast. This week my guest is Ella Foote. In the UK, and beyond, Ella is well known in the wild swimming community, for her work as a freelance journalist, including with Outdoor Swimmer Magazine and with her company Dip Advisor. She is one of the nicest people in wild swimming and it was my pleasure to finally speak to her for the podcast. There is a lot in what we talk about, and you might want to find more information about lots of it, so here are some useful links to get you started Jubilee River, Bray Lake, hypothermia, cold water shock, after drop, Suzanna Swims, Viv Rickman, Alice Goodridge, Fenwick Ridley, Dart 10k, Bantham Swoosh, How to Beat Pain, Gilly McArthur, Dartmoor, Sarah Thomas, Jini Reddy, Leeds Castle, Dip a Day December

This week's podcast guest is Rachael Lee from Oceanbreakers.   She holds the Irish record for a solo English channel crossing and the world record for 3 person North Channel relay. She's got motivation sorted and she is incredibly inspirational. For anyone looking for tips on reaching your swimming goals, this episode is for you. Things we talk about you might want to know more about Portmarnock, Raynaud's syndrome, Sarah Thomas, Lake Zurich marathon swim, North Channel, Liffey swim, Oceans 7, lions mane jellyfish, The Baths Lido

Welcome to the latest episode of Swim Wild podcast. This week I'm speaking to Claudia who is a host of her local Mental Health Swim. During Covid lockdown, it seems as though more people are becoming aware of their own and others' mental health, even more so than before. Wild swimming, if that is still possible where you live based on the rules, can be a real tonic. Something to boost your mood, to get you outdoors, more connected to nature, more connected to others, and really in the moment as that first nip of cold water bites. Claudia's kids have also dipped a toe in, and she speaks so beautifully about the positive impact it is having on them, being able to challenge themselves as they get ever braver in open water. If you are still able to swim outdoors during lockdown, enjoy and make the most of it. Stay safe as the water temperatures drop (if you are in the Northern Hemisphere! Things are just warming up if you are in the South). Things we talk about that you might want to know more about Gaddings Dam, tow float, Wim Hof, Dry Robe, Mental Health Swims, lidos

Welcome to Season 4 of the Swim Wild podcast! Welcome back. It's been fabulous having some time off over the summer but it is also good to be back. I'm back with an absolutely brilliant guest. Niamh is perfect to open season 4, with so much reflection, insight and joy in the way she talks about swimming.   I'm sure everyone will get something out of hearing her talk about her experiences and what wild swimming she has been able to do under lockdown. Things we talk about you might want to look up Portobello (Edinburgh) The Wild Ones group, Wexford, Rosslare Strand, Gilly McArthur, Open Minds Open Doors project. Niamh's instagram is @Its.me.murf

This week's podcast guest is Alice Goodridge, founder of Swim Wild UK and the Scottish Winter Swimming Championships, ice miler, channel swimmer, artist, illustrator and now with a wild swim inspired clothing range. She is an intensely interesting guest, with so many strings to her bow, all fuelled by her passion for wild swimming. Her company Swim Wild, like everything else, had to close during lockdown, but here is an update on what is now possible as lockdown in Scotland eases. "SwimWild is back! It may not have been the start to the summer that I had planned but I have been working hard behind the scenes to ensure that we can get back up and running for the latter part of the season, albeit in a reduced capacity. We have drawn up appropriate risk assessments which closely follow Scottish Government guidelines to ensure we are being safe, sensible and honest with ourselves and our swimmers. SwimWild has achieved Visit Scotland's "Good to Go Badge", meaning we are prepared as best as possible to start 1-to-1 coaching and private guided adventures from mid-July and small group coaching/adventures again from the start of August. Availability is a bit limited over the summer as I reschedule courses from the Spring and can only operate with limited group sizes, but I will do my best to accommodate everyone. Please do get in touch if you are interested in open water coaching at Loch Morlich, or would like to join me for a guided swim adventure in the Cairngorms National Park." Go to swimwilduk.com for more Photos by Euan Cherry

Welcome to this week's swim wild podcast. My guest this week is Col. A self proclaimed hippy, living a semi nomadic lifestyle, speaking to me from his campervan while he waited for the cross channel ferries to restart, to take him on a wild swimming journey to the Pyrenees. It is a stream of consciousness type of chat, touching on topics such as the benefits of sauna, sleep science, the wisdom of flip flops as hiking footwear and more.

Welcome to the Swim Wild Podcast. This week's guest is Mark. Our conversation is an unapologetic celebration of what we love about wild swimming. Mark is a new convert, and was hooked from the first swim. What I love about this episode is the pure joy, the excitement of swimming outdoors, the addiction to cold water, the appreciation of the newly acquired swim family. You can read Mark's blogs about the Diabetes 22 mile challenge here, here and here. Things we talk about you might want to look up Wye Not Swim?, Keepers Pond, Punch Bowl, Bathurst Lido, Diabetes 22 mile challenge, 22 pushup challenge, Cath Pendelton, Becca Harvey, Cotswold wild swimming, Polar Bear Challenge, Bude Open Water Swimmers, Hebridean Sea swimmers, Outdoor Swimming Society, Portishead lido, Clevedon Marine Lake

My guest on the podcast this week is Robert. Robert talks about his involvement with Ainsley's Angels - supporting inclusive triathlon. He also explains why marathon swimming made him a better person. It is an uplifting, inspirational and lively episode full of interesting ideas about what wild swimming does for the body and soul. Things we talk about that you might want to know more about Total Immersion, Adam (ocean) Walker

This week's Swim Wild podcast guest is Kathleen. After we spoke, Kathleen shared some more details about the places she swims, so I am sharing her words with you here. Prevelly - this stretch of coastline is different from Cowaramup Bay which is sheltered by the shape of the land and had granite rocks in/ under the water.  Prevelly though, whilst only approx 10km South, has a limestone geology instead and it’s this limestone reef that provides protection from the incoming swell. Great for swimming. When there’s a big swell, it interacts with the reef to form waves (exciting!). On low tide, low swell, a bit of the reef is exposed and is fascinating to explore, both above and below the water. The limestone provides a solid structure for small coral, seaweed, barnacles, crabs, habitat for crays (actually, they’re western rock lobsters but everyone here calls them crays) and shelter for all manner of fish. Where I swim, there are small reefs close to shore but it’s the larger reefs, further out that are exiting to swim out to when the conditions are right. Closer to shore, it’s not uncommon to swim with stingrays as they feed off the sandy bottom. Cowaramup bay (Gracetown) where I swim regularly at dawn on my own.  Usually, there are waves breaking at the Northern and Southern points but on this day, it was dead calm. The closest boat in the photo is the shark boat. I forgot to tell you about that. Each day, it takes bait out to drum lines (google it) further out along the coast to catch sharks then tow the sharks further away. If a great white over a certain size is spotted, a loud siren goes off and a recorded voice tells you to get out of the water. There are varying opinions about the effectiveness of this practice. Over Summer, there is also the familiar sound of helicopters as the choppers patrol beaches to spot sharks. So there you go... swim wildlife! Oh and the kangaroos....funny, but roos actually have a big connection to my swimming as well. The drive from my place to my two swimming spots is from our rural property then past vineyards, cattle and sheep farms, national park, bush etc (i.e. I don’t pass any towns). Roos are really active at dawn and dusk so on my morning drives, I’m in high alert. They can bound across the road when you least expect it. Unfortunately, I don’t have a roo bar on my car but I probably should invest in one. There are two big mobs on our property so I usually pass some on our dirt track out to the gate (approx 1km) as I head out for a swim.  I’ve hit one there before then earlier this year, I hit a big boomer (male) out on the road on my drive to meet the swimming group. Roo was fine, car damaged but still made it to the beach and someone from swimming group taped the grill so I could get to work. Links for more information Cowaramup Bay (Gracetown), Prevelly (Gnarabup in this link is at the Southern end, it’s where the woman who did her 20km swim started), Swimming Australia Grants (for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse groups), Port Beach Polar Bears (in Freo), Rottnest swim , Swimming Women (Charlotte O’Beirne’s swimming class I did), The Pod podcast

Welcome back to Swim Wild podcast. My guest this week is Matt from Soak Up Skye. This episode comes with a slight warning, that, if like many of us, your travel is severely restricted due to coronavirus, this episode will definitely make you want to visit the Isle of Skye - so be warned! Matt runs wild swimming tour on the island, and in his episode he mentions too many places and swim locations to actually mention here. What I would recommend is that when lockdown is lifted and it is safe to travel, book a tour with Matt and let him design a bespoke wild swim tour for you. You will hear how immersed in the place he is, and how deeply connected to the landscape. Just a few of the places we mention Smoo Cave, North Coast 500, Bothy, Loch Tay, Great Glen Way, Anna Deacon's book, Coast magazine (April 2020 edition)

Welcome back to Swim Wild podcast - the podcast for anyone who swims outdoors. My guest this week is Sandra Dee Owens. Sandra has cultivated her own philosophy and approach to life which encompasses adventure, the outdoors and movement, and wild swimming, especially through the winter is a key part of this. We talk about motivation, taking control of fear and making it work for you, being on a solo journey with friends and bringing more adventure into life by inviting it in. Sandra has so much to share and offer, including a bespoke jewellery business, her books and videos about her techniques for being fit and warm while pushing the boundaries of what you think is possible for yourself. Check them out - she shares so generously.

Welcome to the Swim Wild podcast. This week's guest is Jason, and he is in the unenviable position of having a channel swim crossing scheduled for 4th August, but no guarantee that it will go ahead due to coronavirus. How do you stay focused under such uncertainty? How do you stay fit and acclimatised with pools closed and access to the sea severely restricted? How do you psychologically prepare? All the answers are in the podcast. If you'd like to support the Aspire charity that Jason is raising money for please follow this link. Things we talk about that you might want to know more about Kit Hill quarry, Buckfastleigh Open Air Pool, GB Ice Championships in Cheltenham

Welcome to another Swim Wild podcast. This week I am speaking to Sally in Orkney about her first season wild swimming. It is a lovely, reflective conversation which took place with the back drop of coronavirus lock down in full force across the UK. This puts into sharp relief what things mean to us and their significance in our lives when they are temporarily, although we don't know how long for, out of our reach. Our realities through this crisis will differ depending on where in the world we live, and what access to open water we each might have. However you are coping, stay safe and well and hopefully we can all get back in the water soon. Things we mention you might want to know more about Orkney, Kirkwall, Orkney Polar Bears, Durness, Polar Bear Challenge  

This week's guest is Helen and as we approach week... 7? 8? of lock down in the UK, it could not have come at a better time. Helen is a powerhouse of joy and fun. She shares all that positive energy in this interview, and like swimming outdoors, I felt better afterwards than I did at the start. What a gift. Despite having a broken ankle, Helen greeted me on our Skype call in full swimming gear - costume, hat, goggles and tow float, plus Polar Bear buff and medal. When we can't easily access the things that ordinarily keep us afloat, connecting with like minded people, doing silly challenges and committing to making the effort go a long way to helping us to survive, if not thrive. Thank you Helen for sharing your positive energy so generously. Things we mention you might want to look up Polar bear challenge, Cromhall quarry, Clevedon marine lake, South West Seals, Tooting Bec lido, Portishead popsicle, Winter swimming champs in lake Bled.

This week's guest is Tina, and we spoke 3 weeks into coronavirus lockdown in the UK when we were both still trying to process what was happening. It is a quiet, reflective conversation, through which we learned how uplifting it was, actually, to talk about our winter swimming season just gone, even though wild swimming is inaccessible to us at the moment. Things we talk about Polar Bear Challenge, intermittent fasting, Parliament Hill Lido - fish event, Portishead popsicle event, ice mile

This week's podcast was recorded back in January when the world felt like a totally different place than it does now. Juliet had just swum at a pond where she broke the ice for the first time. We talk about her work as a textile artist where she does free motion machine embroidery inspired by wild swimming and the nature that surrounds her. You can find Juliet on all her social media and see examples of her work here Things we talk about Sharrah Pool, Transylvania Food Company,

Welcome to this special episode of the Swim Wild podcast with all of the Outdoor Swimmer magazine team. I am joined by Simon Griffiths, publisher, Jonathan Cowie, editor, Joanne Jones, sales executive, Luke Chamberlain, editorial assistant and Ella Foote, contributing editor for a chat about wild swimming in the world of coronavirus lock down. If you don't already subscribe to the magazine, please consider becoming a subscriber. I know many people have lost their income due to the virus, but for those who are still getting paid, if you are saving money on petrol or not buying a coffee every day, please consider using this for a subscription. If we don't support the small businesses we value now, they are at risk of not existing once life finally gets back to normal. Enjoy the episode. And head over to their website - there is loads of fun digital content to give you some substitute daily fixes of wild swimming.

This week's guest on the Swim Wild podcast is Becca. She talks about how she got into wild swimming after a car accident, and why she is now on the brink of her first ice mile. She is a glorious soul who will lift your day. Things we talk about IWSA winter swimming world championships, Alice Goodridge - Scottish winter swimming Championships, Caroline Saxon, Team GB, Barbara Hernandez, Chile ice mile, South West Seals, Clevedon Marine Lake, Cath Pendleton, Swim Your Swim, Fenwick Ridley, H2O Trails

Welcome to the Swim Wild podcast. This week's guest is Sara. This was recorded back in January 2020 when we were all still out swimming, and had heard of coronavirus but were not overly concerned. It is a joyful chat from a time when we probably felt we had far less to worry about, although we were blissfully unaware of what was to come. Sara is hopefully is wonderful antidote to self isolation. If you want to hear more from her you can follow her on Instagram @middleagethread  

Welcome to episode 50 of the Swim Wild podacst! What a milestone. It is very exciting that this coincides with the launch of my new logo - which was only bloomin' designed by Megan! Megan is the Artist behind Flotsam Prints, which many of you will be familiar with. If not, get over to her website and check it out now. I've absolutely adored her work since I first saw it, and so was delighted when she agreed to design me a bespoke logo for the podcast. I could not be happier with it, and I hope you like it. Things we talk about Devon Wild Swimming group, Sharrah Pool, Mosaic Rocks, Polar Bear Challenge, 3ft fibre glass otter

This week's guest is John, Based on his experience of outdoor swimming, he ended up spending a significant amount of time, developing, testing, refining and launching a new safety product, called Tekrapod.   It is really interesting listening to how he took the issues he was having with existing devices and applied his own experience, knowledge and passion to creating something different that worked in a specific environment.  

  This week's guest is Francesca. I selected her interview to go live on International Women's Day especially.       I really wanted to share what she had to say about the way the wild swimming community on social media feels like such a safe space.   And how an ill-judged comment, about bodies, can jeopardise that.   She has first hand experience of that. So also chose to challenge it, despite knowing that this might result in other people, hiding behind fake names and laptop screens piling on and trolling her.   It feels ridiculous to call her brave. Why should it be brave to speak up about something you are unhappy about, in terms of the way an image of yourself has been treated? Nevertheless, I think it is brave. Huge thanks to Francesca for sharing.

This week I am talking to Genii who lives in Upstate New York. I'm fascinated that she came to wild swimming as a bi product of teaching SUP Yoga - taking lessons when she was in her 60s, as she's never learned to swim properly. This was about added security for her SUP Yoga clients, but what she found was a whole community of open water swimmers and a series of events that she was actually quite good at. She may think that she has won medals because she is "lucky" that there aren't many other swimmers in her age group. I think she's getting out there and competing, which has nothing to do with luck, but hard work and talent. Her story is wonderful to listen to. Enjoy.   Things we talk about Swim Trek, Coney Island Brighton Beach Open Water Swimmers, Coney Island Polar Bears, Grimaldo's Mile, Lake Placid Betsy Owens (1 mile) and Terry Laughlin (2 miles),  Henley Club to Pub swim, Lake George 2.5k, 5k and 10k swims

Welcome to Season 3 of the Swim Wild podcast. Apologies for the extended break. This week's guest is Janne from the Telemark region of Norway.     The lake she swims in most often is Tinnsjå. Things she mentions that you might like to look up BBC documentary about reducing the need for medication through wild swimming, Ella Foote - a dip a day in December, Parliament Hill Lido, Leap In, Turning and Taking the Plunge books

This is the 3rd 'best bits' episode pulling together some of the best clips from the 40 or so interviews I've done so far. Sorry there are no photos or links this week - my boiler is leaking and the insurance firm can't get the right person here to fix it between Christmas and New Year. Brrr. But on a positive note, I now do have a cast iron roll top bath in the back garden for cold water acclimatisation!

Another 'best bits' episode this week, featuring these fabulous guests (click on their photo for their individual episode) Sarah Jane Beverley Suzanna Vicky Sylvia Gilly    

This week we are looking back at 2019 and some of my favourite bits from some of the interviews I've done. This week I have chosen Sylvia Laycock of Pacific Open Water Swim Co, Beth French and Dee Newell. I hope you enjoy it.

If most of your social media is wild swimming connected, chances are you already follow this week's podcast guest, James 'Jumpy' Kirby. James chronicles his swims, both photographically and in terms of key data. When I bumped into him back in February 2019 at Millerground in Cumbria after a swim, I recognised him instantly from Facebook! It was such a joy to finally meet up with him properly in October 2019, to swim together at Colwith Force and then to record a podcast with him. He is a real adventurer. Heading out, up into the hills, ice axe packed, looking for frozen tarns to swim in. Or on warmer days, hiking 39km and doing 14 dips along the way! I think what I enjoyed most of all about meeting him, was how easy it was to chat and laugh about wild swimming. Strangers quickly become friends, and anytime I've over in the lake District from now on I'll be calling on James to come swim with me. This is the last episode of 2019. I'll be back in 2020 with new guests, and an exciting sponsor who I cannot wait to collaborate with! Have an awesome December everyone. May your water be cold with ice on the top x Things we talk about Gilly, Gurnal Dubs, Outdoor Swimmer magazine, Blea Tarn, High Dam, Red Tarn, Colwith Force, Lake Bled, 2019 Scottish winter swimming championships, Capernwray, Buoy 13, Wim Hof.

This week's guest has done 6 ice miles so far and is planning another 4 this winter. She might as well, she says. Get to a nice round figure while she works out where this might be taking her. My conversation with her got me thinking about the ideas that we connect with. We can't always articulate what it is about them that appeals to us. Why something within them innately resonates and makes sense to us. But what brings us joy, also brings us into new communities, where we find people, like us, who also find joy in the thing that grabbed us. They have been grabbed too, and likely can't quite explain why either. Claire is a rare breed of ice miler. She does heads up breast stroke. This makes her slower than those doing front crawl, and so is in the water longer. Many of her ice miles are classified as extreme ice miles due to the time it took to complete them. And yet, front crawlers still sometimes ask when she is going to learn to swim properly! She is absolutely immense. And really interesting. Things we talk about Clontarf baths, ice mile, Ireland's Eye to Howth, Killary harbour, ice swimming and iisa, Conroy's pond, Armagh, Lynne Cox, Forty Foot, Dublin, Lone Swimmer blog  

This week's podcast guest is Dr Tara Shine. She is an environmental scientist tackling climate change both on an international stage, and in her local community. If you have ever felt overwhelmed by the enormity of the climate crisis, and wondered what impact you, as an individual could possibly have on it, this episode is for you. Our conversation focuses on how we can all live more lightly on the planet. This includes what we can do about plastic pollution, how we can live more sustainably, and what we as individuals, consumers, voters and citizens can do to effect change in others. We also touch upon Tara's gender aware approach to tackling climate change - recognising that women are differently and disproportionately affected. Tara talks about her involvement with an expedition to Antarctica with Homeward Bound, and how she encouraged around 50 of the 90 women who were also on the expedition, to take a plunge with her into the water to draw attention to the issues and to promote the charity Teach a Girl to Swim. It is inspiring stuff. Oh, and we also talk about wild swimming! Read Tara's blog about the Homeward Bound expedition here Things we talk about Homeward Bound, Ocean Positive, Teach a Girl to Swim, Change by Degrees, Sandycove Island, Plastic Free Kinsale  

This week I am returning to do a second interview with a guest I spoke to back in June 2019 - Dean. In his previous episode, he shared with me his experience of swimming the length of the Wilamette river, and how, somewhat inexplicably, this helped his recovery from cancer. After an hour of chatting he tried to move on to tell me about how he then went on to swim the length of the river Shannon, but I stopped him, as it felt like a whole new chapter. I wanted to give that second adventure as much time and space to reveal it's lessons as his Wilamette swim had had. In talking to Dean again, I was really struck this time by the grief he had experienced. In our first conversation, what I had heard was the story of recovery from illness. But nestled within it, was a story of swimming through and beyond grief. He says that grief can put you in such a fog. This time, his story reveals a sense of emerging from the fog, regaining clarity, and being alongside his daughter as she did the same, albeit a while later. It is an interesting story of both accepting and not accepting what you have. Dean explains that he refused to just stay on his sofa and live out his days. Instead he was determined to get out and do an iconic swim - knowing that it could kill him, but at least he'd be an active participant. So he resisted his doctors' assessment of his situation and the best course of action and fought for an alternative reality. But in swimming the Shannon, he found he had to let go of his previous experience of the Wilamette, and let the Shannon be its own river. 'Swim the river you are in' was the advice he got as he battled against it rather than worked with it. This is a fantastic exploration of rites of passage and inter-generational connection. Things we talk about Dean's website and social media, Shannon, the wild river documentary, Waterways Ireland, Canoe Ireland, Childhood Cancer Foundation of Ireland, Blue Mind book

This week's podcast guest is Dee, and she swam the English Channel on 4th August 2019. Of everyone I have heard speak about their Channel swim, Dee is by far the most positive and optimistic. She had a great swim. Loved it. Smashed the time goal she set for herself. Got out and did a yoga pose on the beach in tribute to a yoga-teaching friend who had been so supportive. It is an almost unbelievably positive story. But wrapped up in Dee's Channel swimming story is a sense of fate - this was always going to happen. Because no matter what obstacles she came up against in preparation for the swim, a solution always appeared. Friends stepped in. Mentors appeared. Lucky breaks happened. Which when you've worked really hard to do something so huge, is exactly what you need, I imagine. This is a very practical, positive description of a Channel swim, with lots of advice for anyone thinking of attempting the swim.      Things we talk about Swim Trek, Cliff Golding, Emma France, Neil Streeter, Swim Quest, Anna-Carin Nordin, Ice Swimming Committee of Ireland, Abersoch, Dublin, Galway

My guest on the podcast this week, Gilly, was someone I had never met before. Yet I felt so familiar with some of the swims she had done earlier this year, due to the amazing photographs her friend, James Kirby, took of her and submitted to Outdoor Swimmer magazine. I looked at the snowy landscape and frozen lakes with envy and admiration, and knew that I wanted to speak to her to understand what that had felt like. Gilly had been doing an alternative version of the R.E.D. challenge - which stands for 'run every day' and had committed to swimming outdoors every day in January. I've got to admit, I was reassured to hear that it wasn't easy every day. That Gilly can procrastinate a day away. That it was mentally quite hard. That she is human like the rest of us. It can be too easy for us to assume that other people manage with ease the things we know we would find really difficult. It was also lovely to hear about the people who she helped take their first step into winter swimming as part of the process, and what different people's reaction was to achieving something they might have thought was impossible for them. She talks about winter swimming as sailing close to the edge of what is possible, and peeping over the wall of the edge of comfort and glimpsing what is beyond. It is about pushing ourselves and testing and finding out what we are capable of. Gilly also talks about what can happen to our lives when particularly difficult or tragic things happen. We can lock it away, close in on ourselves and have our world become smaller. Or we can look at it, process it, and allow the possibility that we will experience joy again. At some point. In the future. She says we have to push hard to swim up to the light again. To reach that flow state. Things we talked about Nan Shepherd, Blea Tarn, Potters Tarn, Floe State film, Wastwater, Windermere, Raynauds, Wonderful Wild Women, Scottish Winter Swimming Championships, Outdoor Swimmer magazine, Loughrigg Tarn  All photos appear in Outdoor Swimmer magazine and are taken by James Kirby

My guest this week is Emma, who describes her wild swim journey as walking towards her fears. A few days on from the North East Skinny Dip, I'm still thinking about fear. 737 people completed the skinny dip. Running naked into the North Sea at sunrise. I was one of them. Reflecting back on what we achieved, the challenge will be different for all of us. For many people the cold will have been their biggest fear. For others, the size and strength of the waves on the day. For others, it will have been connected to their bodies and how they feel about them. Whatever our fears are, and wherever they originate from, they can hold us back. Emma's experience taught her to find a teacher or a mentor. To go at her own pace. To find techniques that work for you. To find a way to get over the fear. Her journey is about believing in and trusting herself. To move away from self doubt and to build confidence. She very beautifully explains her experience of "the worlds that open up when we try something new". And a real belief that if we take a leap of faith, a safety net will appear to catch us. At the North East Skinny Dip, the net that appeared for me was a friend, right by my side, as we stripped off and walked into the sea. I did think that potentially one thing worse than being naked in front of strangers was being naked in front of people you know! But this wasn't the case. Friends were my safety net that day. Now I'm just looking forward to seeing what worlds open up now I've tried something new. Things we talk about South Cerney Lake 86 and Lake 32, Dart 10k, Cheltenham lido, Swim Trek, Henley swim, Wild Wye, Bantham Swoosh, Hurly Burly, Dry Robe

This week’s podcast guest is a genuine inspiration. As a child burns survivor, she has very visible scars on her back. She has encountered a lot of ignorance in other people around this. People who think it is ok to video her without her permission. To educate their kids publicly about burns in her earshot without involving her in the conversation. Telling her she should not be uncovered in public. Being aware of these judgements, it is no wonder that she began to assume that anyone she saw looking at her, people laughing or even just talking near her, were saying unkind things about her. After a long struggle, feeling upset and hiding away, one day her response just changed. It was a definite case of ‘fake it until you make it’ as she certainly didn’t feel confident, letting her sarong drop as she stood, hands on hips, in her swimsuit on the beach. But one act of courage led to another, and soon she was swimming 21 lengths in 21 pools in 21 bikinis, promoting the message that it is ok to be yourself. She has since gone on to challenge what diversity in fashion and body positivity mean. That this isn’t just about plus size models but those with scars and skin conditions as well. Her message to us is that we need to learn to embrace what we have and be our own beautiful selves. The wild swimming community is well known for being non judgemental and accepting. One of the biggest barriers for beginners can just be the act of being seen in public in a swimsuit. For anyone who hasn’t quite reached the nirvana of embracing the body you have, this episode is for you. Things we talk about Vicky’s episode, Great North Swim and Great East Swim ambassador, Love Disfigure, Professor Greg Whyte, Sharron Davies, Bosphorus swim, Changing Faces, Norseman, Victoria’s Secret protest with Nunude, The Real Catwalk, Point of Light award, Anna Wardley

This week’s podcast guest has got a wildly different relationship with wild swimming than me. While this was a challenge for me as an interviewer, I think it is great. The wild/open/outdoor swimming community is large. And diverse. And that’s a good thing. Instead of debating what the differences might be between wild swimming, open water swimming and outdoor swimming, I’m far more interested in what the similarities are. Whether the cold isn’t your thing but measuring the distance and time of each swim is. Whether you swim all year round or have a shorter season. Whether you prefer a lake, river or ocean. If you swim alone or as part of a group. Whatever stroke you choose. How much you faff. How much of it is physical, social, emotional or spiritual. To me, none of those differences are big enough to overshadow the main thing that unites us – that we all swim in water that is not an indoor pool, by choice, because it brings us joy – whatever that means for each of us. It is fascinating listening to Lucy and hearing about the journey she has been on to become a triathlete. How she has embraced the swim element of that, and now undertakes swim events outside of triathlon. There is room for all versions of this story, and to my mind, no hierarchy in our world of swimming outside. No version that is purer than another. No way of doing it that makes one swimmer’s story superior to another. Every swimmer I’ve interviewed has talked about inclusivity and lack of judgement in our community. For me, that should be one of the most fundamental principles that we uphold as non-negotiable as we go about our version of swimming outside. Things we talk about Coach from 4performance, Havering tri club, Blenheim Palace, TriFarm, Borham, swim the Solent with Aspire, arctic circle swim blog, Jubilee river swim, Lakesman Tri, Leeds Castle, Beth French, Brutal Extreme Tri, Follow Lucy on social media - Paddle Pedal Pace Website, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook

This week's podcast guest, Jax, is a very experienced sea swimmer. She doesn't describe herself as a distance swimmer, although she lets slip "I did swim 10 miles once"! But having that experience means that she can be an explorer. Which may involve a long swim. She just doesn't especially measure it. Instead, she takes a trip. Rounding headlands, just going that bit further to see what lies beyond. She describes being in the sea as being at home. She delights in the immersion, which is often what her body needs. This self awareness of what she needs characterises Jax. She is very honest, open and in tune. Lots of things we talk about are about accepting and letting go. Not just in swimming, but in life. Everything is about everything. "No pushing, No holding back" is the invitation she gives to anyone thinking about doing the North East Skinny Dip 2019. Make a pledge. Go along. Honour that pledge to yourself. I signed up the day after I spoke to her. Things we talked about Whitburn to South Shields, Seaburn to Roker, North East Skinny Dip, Druridge Bay, Rhossili Bay skinny dip 2011, Sarah's episode about Orkney, Robson Green doing the skinny dip, Reverend Kate Bottley, Big Blue Swim

This week’s podcast guests are Stacey and Max Holloway of WayOutside Limited in Oban, Scotland. I went from being slightly anxious about how a three way interview over Skype would go, to feeling very comfortable with their complimentary conversational style. They were both very in tune with each other as both people and swimmers, and the confluence of their individual swim stories into a coherent narrative about their business was very easy to navigate. It felt like a real yin yang relationship. What struck me most about this interview, was a search for community and a desire to contribute. When they arrived in Oban, Stacey and Max found many wild swimmers, but no local group. From there was born the Oban Seals. This simple, coordinating structure gave lots of individual activity a collective home. A carefully chosen place and time for a regular group swim increases visibility, raises interest, removes myths about the kind of people who do this sort of thing and reduces the barriers that people may experience to getting involved. From there, a community builds. The benefits spread like ripples in water. Loneliness is diminished. People have friends and acquaintances to ask for help. Groups pick up litter on the beach during each swim. People become more active. There is inclusion and prevention. It is small but significant. And that makes a difference. Things we talk about Oban, Loch Etive, WayOutside Ltd, Oban Seals, Loch Lomond, Loch Linnhe, Henley Classic, Cambridge lido, Bray Lake, Windsor, Outdoor Swimming Society, Big/Little Ganavan beaches, Highland Open Water Swimming, Sound of Mull, Lismore to Appin, Corryvreckan, Easedale quarry, Munro bagging, Loch of the Lowes, Arisaig, Moidart, Neptune Steps, Scottish Winter Swimming Championships, Wim Hof method

For Corinne, this week’s guest, this is very much an origins story. She is only 5 months into her swimming adventure, but already she is hooked, and producing a blog with advice for other beginners. It got me thinking about what gets us started as wild swimmers. For some it is a bucket list thing. For others, it is connected to a significant birthday. Others sign up for an event. Some get dragged along by a friend who can’t emphasise enough how beneficial they find it and so want to share it with everyone else. Whatever your origins, many of us then find a group of like-minded people who welcome and encourage us, share knowledge and give advice. If we are lucky, we suddenly feel at home in this quirky family of folks. We each then find a reason to keep going back, despite the water growing colder, the nights getting darker and the weather turning increasingly inclement. It has a place in our life. It is a fix. That fix might be the intense blast of cold of the getting in. Or the intense blast of community in the cake and coffee afterwards. Or it may be a fix of a different kind. Worries being temporarily washed away. Anxiety lessened. Grief paused. Confidence boosted. Corinne describes feeling weightless, and with that assistance, thoughts melt away and she just becomes very present in the moment. It is just me and the sea, she says. Things we talked about TOSSERS, Longsands, Tynemouth, Corinne’s blog, Ella Foote, Gilly McArthur, Fausto, Ladyburn Lake, Fenwick Ridley, Corbridge, Loch Ness, Lindsey Cole, Outer Hebrides, Canadian lakes, Jim Bridges, ice mile

My conversation with Dean, this week’s guest, will probably be the first of several. Once you listen I hope you will understand why the interview stops when it does, and why he has so much more of his story still to tell. I won’t spoil any of it by mentioning here any of the life changing events he talks about. What I will say though, is that it is a story of healing. It touches on the things we land upon when we need something to live for. It explores what makes us feel alive and excited. Sometimes, these things, to the outside world, may appear to be the worst possible things we can pursue. Yet deep inside us, we know that this is the thing that might just save us. It balances responsibility against fulfillment as a code to live by. It also makes a really strong case for writing down the things that we think might make our hearts sing. Even if the possibility of doing them may seem like a distant fantasy. At some point, we may just be in need of a list of the things that help us to reconnect back to the real person inside. This is a story about having the time of your life, while also going through the darkest times. Of having the brutality of life washed off us each time we swim, and accepting the healing power of that. It is wonderful and inspiring. And this is just chapter 1. Things we talk about Willamette River, Blue Mind, Wim Hof, cold water immersion, masticating juicer, Willamette RiverKeepers, Newberg Pool, River Shannon swim, ecopsychology, forest bathing, St John’s Bridge You can find Dean’s own website here