The Tidal Year

It's the finale of Series 1! In 1988 Tom Gregory swam the English Channel. And he was only 11 years old! He was the youngest person in history to complete the 32 mile swim and as regulations have changed since then, it's a record that will never be broken. A Boy in the Water is a heartwarming memoir about his experience. In this episode, we spoke about adventures with his swimming club, endurance swimming at such a young age, the coach who guided him through it all and the impact he had on his life. We also spoke about memories, writing, 80s nostalgia and his reflections on how times have changed with the way we parent, encourage and trust. In this episode, we chat about Follow:@freybromley #TheTidalYear A Boy in the Water by Tom Gregory is available wherever you buy your books. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cleveland Pools is Britain's oldest lido dating back over 200 years. It's set to open once again! Restoration to make the facility fit for the future has started and they're working to create a unique open-air public swimming pool in Bath, with the energy for heating the water coming from heat pumps in the adjacent river. In this episode I chat to project director Anna Baker. We spoke about Anna's work, the history of the lido and the power of community action to make a heritage project like this happen. Follow:@freybromley #TheTidalYear@clevelandpoolsYou can find more about the restoration at clevelandpools.org.uk They're still raising money to re-open the lido and need your help to make it happen! Go online to find out how you can donate your money or time. It's really vital to this wonderful heritage site. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Outdoor Swimmer is the only magazine dedicated to open water swimming in all its forms. They share inspiring swimming stories from triathlons to first dips! In this episode I chat to the magazine's founder Simon Griffiths. We spoke about his earliest memories swimming, competing in triathlons and of course his journey to founding the magazine. Follow:@freybromley #TheTidalYear@outdoorswimmer You can explore the magazine and buy a subscription at www.outdoorswimmer.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cathy Rentzenbrink is the bestselling author of The Last Act of Love, A Manual for Heartache, Dear Reader and her latest novel, Everyone is Still Alive. Cathy swims in the sea near her home in Cornwall (including a new tradition of a publication day swim) and is hoping to start swimming all year around. We chat about that and lots more about swimming, as well as its connection to the creative process. This episode also touches on grief and how life is about accumulating experiences, both good and bad, that make us who we are. Follow:@freybromley #TheTidalYear@catrentzenbrinkAll of Cathy's books are available wherever you buy your books. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Does a week of wild swimming and yoga in Cornwall sound like bliss to you? Well, that's what Lauren Biddulph thought when she founded The Salt Sisterhood, a women's wild swimming retreat based in Cornwall. Lauren has a moving story to tell about the power of swimming and its ability to bring people together and forge female friendships. In this episode, we spoke about banishing negative self talk, how we can not just accept that there's light and dark in life, but also lean into it. And how yoga and swimming can help with that. Follow:@freybromley #TheTidalYear@thesaltsisterhoodExplore upcoming wild swimming retreats: www.thesaltsisterhood.comThanks to this episode's sponsor TRIHARD. Say goodbye to chlorine and shop their skin and hair products at 15% off with the code Tidal at trihard.co Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nathaniel Cole is a writer, workshop facilitator and co-founder of the inner city swimming club Swim Dem Crew. They hold weekly sessions for people to become better swimmers. Much of what Swim Dem Crew do is about personal development and self-affirmation, using swimming as a tool to empower people and make the sport more inclusive. In this episode, we spoke about Swim Dem Crew's work and explored topics including masculinity, inclusion, how the confidence people gain from swimming can touch other parts of their life and Nathaniel's own journey to creating a career around helping people. Follow:@freybromley #TheTidalYear@swimdemcrewAs Nathaniel says in this episode… when you're ready, Swim Dem Crew is ready for you! Check out their amazing work or join them for a swim here: www.swimdemcrew.co.ukThanks to this episode's sponsor TRIHARD. Say goodbye to chlorine and shop their skin and hair products at 15% off with the code Tidal at trihard.co Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Marika Hackman is a singer-songwriter and regular at London Fields Lido. Part of her creative process, including when writing her most recent albums Any Human Friend and Covers, is walking along the canal listening to early demos before a reflective swim at the lido. In this episode, we spoke about all the things we love about swimming: that feeling of being hugged by liquid, how joyous it is to see people exercising self-love and the body positivity of getting a glimpse of body hair in the changing rooms. Plus, we chatted about Marika's very special performance from the bottom of an empty swimming pool! Follow:@freybromley #TheTidalYear @marikahackmanOrder Marika Hackman's brand new album Covers, out now: marikahackman.backl.ink/coversThanks to this episode's sponsor TRIHARD. Say goodbye to chlorine and shop their skin and hair products at 15% off with the code Tidal at trihard.co Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Have you ever dreamed of swimming in the Thames? Well, this week's guest is trying to make it happen! Chris Romer-Lee is co-founder of architects Studio Octopi and a regular swimmer at the Serpentine Lido in London. He's also the CEO of Thames Baths, a project which has proposed a floating lido on the Thames. The design has received plenty of public support (including none other than artist Tracey Emin) as well as a successful crowdfunding campaign. Chris is also involved in many new projects to save lidos around the country and bring swimming to more people, especially in urban spaces. I'm so inspired by his vision is to inspire people in cities around the world to reclaim their rivers for swimming and increased public use.In this episode, we chatted about the Thames Baths project, the history of swimming in the Thames and how we might've lost contact with the river beneath our feet. Plus, we chat about the playful idea of a pool on the back of a truck. I hope you enjoy this episode! Follow:@freybromley #TheTidalYear @chrisromerlee@ThamesBathsExplore the Thames Baths design at thamesbaths.com Thanks to this episode's sponsor TRIHARD. Say goodbye to chlorine and shop their skin and hair products at 15% off with the code Tidal at trihard.co Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jessica J. Lee is the author of one of my favourite swimming books, Turning. When she was 28, Jessica found herself heartbroken in Berlin where she was completing a PhD in Environmental History. In search of courage, she decided to swim fifty-two of the lakes around Berlin, no matter what the weather or season. Turning is a stunning memoir about that experience. In this episode, we look back on her adventure in Berlin (including an encounter with some nude winter swimmers yielding an ice axe) and chat about connecting with new places through swimming and how to do that in a way that doesn't feel problematically touristic. I also learned a lot about how we can make nature writing more inclusive, and hope you find it insightful too. Follow:@freybromley #TheTidalYear @jessicajleeTurning by Jessica J. Lee is available wherever you buy your books. Thanks to this episode's sponsor TRIHARD. Say goodbye to chlorine and shop their skin and hair products at 15% off with the code Tidal at trihard.co Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Calum, Robbie and Jack Hudson are The Wild Swimming Brothers. Together, they went on a 9-day adventure to swim from the source of the River Eden to its mouth in the Solway Firth near their childhood home. After such a transformative endurance swim, they decided they wouldn't stop there and embarked on more world-first swims including swimming across terrifying maelstroms in Norway, Scotland and the Arctic Circle. In this episode, I chat to Calum and Robbie about reconnecting with childhood memories, overcoming (or maybe just accepting fear) and that need to rewild ourselves in a busy world. Most of all, this is a great chat about the importance of brotherhood. And I hope you enjoy it!Follow:@freybromley #TheTidalYear @thewildswimmingbrothersSwim Wild by Jack Hudson is available wherever you buy your books. Thanks to this episode's sponsor TRIHARD. Say goodbye to chlorine and shop their skin and hair products at 15% off with the code Tidal at trihard.co Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are you searching for a podcast that brings together nature and storytelling? The Tidal Year is a series about the joy of swimming! Meet Freya Bromley, a writer and wild swimmer who's interested in the human stories behind why we swim. Each week, she'll be joined by a guest who shares what water means to them. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.