Devon's Lidos

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We’ve compiled a bit of a list of the lidos that you can find in Devon. Hopefully we’ve got them all. There are quite a few!

ASHBURTON

smack bang in the middle of the ancient stannary town of Ashburton. 21 x 9m in size, with lovely views. You’ll need to park 5-10 minutes away from the pool but this gives you the perfect opportunity to check out lots of the independent, local shops in the town on the way through. Another pool run by fantastic volunteers, from the local community.

VIEW THEIR WEBSITE - CLICK HERE

BOVEY TRACEY

A heated outdoor swimming pool, slightly on the smaller side, compared to most lidos…at 25 x 9m and has a smaller kids pool. Found in a very green and leafy village. Run by a team of local volunteers.

VIEW THEIR WEBSITE - CLICK HERE

BUCKFASTLEIGH

Found on the edge of Dartmoor National Park, it’s a 21m open air, heated swimming pool. They have a cafe and ‘sunning area’.

FOOTAGE - CLICK HERE

VIEW THEIR WEBSITE - CLICK HERE

CHAGFORD POOL

Community run pool, on the bank of the river Teign. You have a 1930s lido, filled with UV treated river water. Water temp is kept at around 27 degrees and is 34m in length.

VIEW THEIR WEBSITE - CLICK HERE

CHUDLEIGH SWIMMING POOL

A registered charity and community project. Chudleigh is a 4 lane, 20m pool, heated at 28 degrees through the summer season.

VIEW THEIR WEBSITE - CLICK HERE

CLYST HYDON SWIMMING POOL

A small pool, full of character. Run by volunteers. This is an unheated outdoor pool, in a gorgeous part of the world.

VIEW THEIR WEBSITE - CLICK HERE

FACEBOOK PAGE - CLICK HERE

CORNWALL HOUSE OUTDOOR POOL

Part of Exeter University, this 4 lane, 25m outdoor pool is heated to around 29 degrees and surrounded by a delightful grass verge…

VIEW THEIR WEBSITE - CLICK HERE

DARTMOUTH LIDO

This is a community pool, run by a local charity. The pool measures 25 x 8.5m in size and is heated to around 28 degrees. Open from roughly May - Sept.

THEY HAVE A LOVELY WEBSITE - CLICK HERE

KINGSTEIGNTON SWIMMING POOL

Heated 25m outdoor pool and toddlers pool. Lots of room aroud the pool for pre/post-swim relaxation and a spot of sunbathing.

VIEW THEIR WEBSITE - CLICK HERE

MORETONHAMPSTEAD

Run by volunteers, through the summer months. Heated by air source pumps and solar energy! You’ll find it on the edge of Dartmoor.

VIEW THEIR WEBSITE - CLICK HERE

MOUNT WISE SWIMMING POOLS

Right on the water. Salt fed 25m swimming pool. Pool is open during the summer months and isn’t heated.

VIEW THEIR WEBSITE - CLICK HERE

VIDEO FOOTAGE - CLICK HERE

TEIGNMOUTH LIDO

A 25m heated outdoor swimming pool. Sat right on the coast, overlooking the sea.

VIEW THEIR WEBSITE - CLICK HERE

FOOTAGE - CLICK HERE

SHOALSTONE POOL

This is a saltwater Lido, overlooking the Brixham sea front. Another lido that’s run with the help of committed volunteers. Runs from May - Sept. There isn’t an entry charge but they do ask for a voluntary entry fee.

THEIR WEBSITE - CLICK HERE

FOOTAGE - CLICK HERE

TINSIDE LIDO

Once voted one of the top 10 lidos in Europe! Grade II listed and has a beautiful art deco design. Sat right on the waters edge…

VIEW WEBSITE - CLICK HERE

FOOTAGE - CLICK HERE

TOPSHAM SWIMMING POOL

Heated outdoor pool. Open over the summer months and heated to ‘at least’ 28 degrees.

VIEW WEBSITE - CLICK HERE

FOOTAGE - CLICK HERE

For a FULL LIST of the UKs lidos, click the button below :

Sea Swim Cornwall have also put together their own Top-Trumps style game, featuring a number of the UKs lidos. CLICK HERE to find out more.

 

Cornwall's Lidos

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Cornwall has 3 lidos to choose from in Bude, Hayle and Penzance. Here’s a little rundown of each.

BUDE SEA POOL : is a sea pool at Summerleaze Beach. The pool is currently run by a local charity - Friends of Bude Sea Pool (FoBSP). It offers free entry and there’s no need to book. The pool itself is around 91m x 45m in size and holds 4 million litres of water.

MORE INFO & WEBSITE - CLICK HERE

FOOTAGE OF THE POOL - CLICK HERE

 

JUBILEE POOL : is the largest salt water art deco lido in the country. Again, run by a local community group. The Jubilee Pool offers cold water swimming, has a geothermal pool and cafe/shop. Tickets can be purchased online or bought in person, on the day. It’s approx 98 x 56m and holds around 5 million litres of water.

MORE INFO & WEBSITE - CLICK HERE

FOOTAGE OF THE POOL - CLICK HERE

 

HAYLE LIDO : is a small outdoor pool, sat on the bank of the Hayle estuary. Typically opens in May and offers swimming until the start of September. The pool is run by Hayle Council. As a smaller outdoor pool, with an overnight thermal cover, the pool regularly reaches temperatures of 20-24 degrees through the summer.

MORE INFO & BOOKING : CLICK HERE

 

UNA LIDO : is a very new, high end lido in St Ives, Cornwall. Onsite spa and a number of facilities. Open year round.

MORE INFO & BOOKING : CLICK HERE

As well as shorter list of various counties lidos, we also have a comprehensive guide to the UKs lidos. Simply follow the button below :

Sea Swim Cornwall have also put together their own Top-Trumps style game, featuring a number of the UKs lidos. CLICK HERE to find out more.

Which swim events are you suitable for...in 2024?

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On this blog post we’ll explore which swims and/or swimming activity you are best suited to and you’ll enjoy the most. We’ll go through all the categories of swimmer out there and tell you what’s available. Simply scroll down and find the section relevant to you.

If you’re in a swimming group or have swimming friends or are simply coming to Cornwall by yourself, you have the option of booking private swim/s. Whether it’s a one-off or you’d like to book a series of swims…or you’d like to book in a group for your own private holiday or event…get in touch. Unlike the set-date swimming holidays on the website, you have more of a say regarding times and locations if you book in as a private group.

SLOW / NEW TO SEA SWIMMING

If you’re an inexperienced sea swimmers, just starting out with sea swimming, want to improve technique, comfortable with sea swimming just a bit slower and/or prefer to take your time and do a bit of ‘sight seeing’ on your swim. We’re talking head up breaststroke, slow front crawl, slow-to-middle lane of your public swimming pool session… We have plenty for you. You can start with our sea swim-specific coaching (there are elements of front crawl swimming that are specific to sea swimming) - either a coaching session or series of coaching sessions. CLICK HERE for more info.

This year we’re running a series of short swims and coaching sessions, with sauna activity! As well as Full Moon swims (at night)…we’ll announce these dates later on. For general calendar - CLICK HERE.

We also host water safety / first aid courses. These cover rip currents, planning swims, reading the conditions, as well as first aid, basic rescue techniques and have no restrictions on entry (provided you can swim at any level). CLICK HERE for more info. As well as set-date courses, we also host private group courses.

SLOW SWIMMING HOLIDAYS - swimming holidays that cater for slower swimmers. Swims are tailored to the group and will offer a variety of different swim lengths over each swim. We’ve had swimmers attend and swim head-up breaststroke the entire time, one gentleman in 2023 suffered a stroke (before the holiday!) and could only move the left side of his body…and completed all of the swims! Swims are typically 200m-1500m depending on how far you want to swim. *We can put on additional distance at the end of a few of the swims, if any of the swimmer want to get in some distance. We never have ‘set’ swim holidays, as we choose the swims based on the conditions.

ASSISTED SWIMS - if you’d like to attempt a swim like St Michael’s Mount, you can book a private session and we’ll tow an additional rescue board with us, which acts like a taxi. You can get a tow for parts of the swim and complete the sections you fancy.

SLOW AND STEADY SWIMS - we have a series of one-off swims, designed for swimmers that aren’t the fastest or that simply prefer to take their time. CLICK HERE - for event calendar.

SLOW SWIMMING DAYS OUT - a non-event event. We specify a set area and then let you know where to meet us 2 days before the event. This is because we pick the swims based on the days conditions. This is a very informal, very social day of swimming. We take on 3-4 shorter swims of the course of 1 day. Swim distances are between 200-800m, depending on the swimmer. Very leisurely day of exploring… CLICK HERE for info.

FULL MOON SWIM – you’d be perfectly placed to attend one of our full moon swims. We have a mixed bag of swimmers on these, from head-up breaststrokers to front crawl swimmers that get excited and try and get in a 2km swim!

 

MEDIUM PACED SWIMMERS 

It’s really tricky conveying what we mean by medium/average pace. Often people are put off or anxious booking our ‘standard’ holidays. Our ‘slow swimming’ activity books up far better. By medium pace we’re talking holding approx. 2 ½ minutes per 100m / 20-25 minutes per km. So…you’re generally looking at the whole of the middle lane of an average public swimming session. We’re simply happy with you covering the distances, rather than too worrying about pace. With our holidays and larger events we have multiple people on water safety, so it’s easy for us to split up and manage a group of swimmers with varied speeds. We also get faster swimmers to double back – they cover a little extra distance and the group stays together.

All of the activities above (slow section) are open to medium paced swimmers. You’re also more than welcome on any one-off swims, as well as our standard swimming holidays. Swimming MOT coaching sessions may be more appropriate, although you’re welcome to book a full coaching session. CLICK HERE for info.

EVENTS – the 10K or 5K events (broken up into a series of swims over the day) are open to anyone that comfortable swimming that distance. They’re more of a challenge, than an event, avoiding mass starts and tight turns around buoys. CLICK HERE for more info.

 

FASTER SWIMMERS 

Standard (non-slow swimming) holidays would be ideal, along with the 5 & 10k Day events. You can also book one-off swims, for both individuals and small groups. We also book ‘special’ events, like sauna swims and full moon swims. You’re welcome to sign up to any of these. CLICK HERE for event info.

FLEXIBILITY 

We pride ourselves on our flexible approach. If there’s an idea, activity or service you’d like that we don’t currently offer, get in touch. In the past, we’ve supplied a client with a swimming itinerary (for example)…a list of swims and which conditions to swim them in. CLICK HERE for contact page.

Why Tremorvu Campsite near Helston?

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This year we’ve based a holiday from Tremorvu Campsite (although there’s no requirement to stay here, if you like your creature comforts). We’ve held holidays here in the past and we’ve only ever received great feedback. Well kept, quiet, great value for money and….more importantly, it’s a short drive to everywhere (…everywhere you’d want to swim!).

As my sketch of a spider demonstrates… There are a lot of options! With the longer drives, we’d pick two swims in close proximity, to minimise driving.

5-10 minutes : 3 Different cave swims and lovely beaches/coves, like Prussia Cove.

10-15 minutes : St Michael’s Mount, Marazion, Porthleven, Perranuthnoe

15 - 20 mins : Church Cove, Poldhu Beach

20-30 mins : Carbis Bay, Porthkidney, Mousehole

30-45 mins : Kynance Cove, Coverack, the Helford / Durgan Village / Grebe Beach

We typically offer dining options in Penzance. With this holiday and it’s location, we have easily accessible additional options, like Porthleven or Praa Sands.

*at the time of writing Tremorvu didn’t quite have all of their pitches published on their website. If this is still the case email them and they’ll handle your booking.

tremorvu@hotmail.co.uk

Swimming Days Out

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If you’re planning on broadening your horizons and taking on a new swim or two in the summer, it might well be worth planning a series of swims over the course of a morning, afternoon or entire day… If you’re going to make the effort to drive to a new area, you may as well do it properly!

Here are a few of Sea Swim Cornwall’s suggestions for some multi-swimming days out. Please bear in mind that you’ll need to check the forecast and ensure the conditions are safe to swim in. We’d always suggest swimming on an incoming tide, preferably neap tides and check the wind direction and strength. Under 20kmph is good and try and avoid a moderate to strong onshore wind. *More info on safe swimming, check out our ‘reading the conditions’ blog post - CLICK HERE.

LIZARD PENINSULA - a number of options here.

You could simply visit Kynance Cove and take on a few swims. Loads of options. Bear in mind that it isn’t lifeguarded. Best swimming on a low tide, with the tide coming in…and swim with company.

Porthallow, Porthoustock and Kennack Sands. Some really interesting swims, with really interesting old industrial features. Other than Kennack, these areas are generally quite quiet…even in summer.

Another option might be Gunwalloe Fishing Cove, followed by Church Cove and Poldhu. Church Cove is lifeguarded in peak summer weeks, Poldhu lifeguarded through the main summer season.

WORTH CHECKING OUT… Roskilly’s for ice cream and great food, also a great option with kids.

 

PENZANCE - again, a few options. You could look at Porthcurno, Porthchapel (be careful on the way down, a slight bit of bum-shuffling, climbing involved) and Lamorna Cove. Best to attempt either side of the main summer season as parking can be challenging.

Perranuthnoe is another option. Starting on Perranuthnoe Beach, you can then head east and you’ll find another couple of tracks leading to additional launching beaches. Obviously you are a little off the beaten track, so be careful when swimming.

WORTH CHECKING OUT - Pickle on the prom, Tremenheere Kitchen or the Beach Cafe (Perranuthnoe).

 

ST AUSTELL - Lovely short walk and options, simply look at Porthpean, Duporth and Charlestown. Best to finish at Charlestown on a high tide. You can park at Porthpean. Beautiful stretch of coast and if you avoid an easterly wind, normally very protected.

 

ST IVES - Porthkidney, Carbis Bay and Porthminster. Best during dry conditions, as part of the coastal path can get quite muddy. You can park at Carbis Bay and walk to the end of Headland Rd to access Porthkidney, follow the same route back to Carbis Bay and take the coastal path to Porthminster. Approx 2-2.5 miles of walking. Best heading for Porthkidney just before a high tide.

*You could also try Porthminster, Porthgwidden and Bamaluz Beach. Get the train into St Ives from either Carbis Bay or St Erth.

WORTH CHECKING OUT - Ocean Sports Centre on Carbis Bay.

 

ROSELAND - Porthcurnick Beach, followed by a short walk over to Portscatho and the swimming pontoon. You could then walk over to Porthbean or take on a much longer walk or drive over to either Pendower / Carne Beach.

WORTH CHECKING OUT - The Hidden Hut (although I felt like the prices were a tad high on the last visit but still worth a visit!).

GUIDE TO 2024

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We still have a couple of events in the pipeline, so this may not be a complete list…depending on when you’re reading this. We also offer shorter notice swims (based on the tides) throughout the year and will often create small group swims around individual bookings.

MAY 25 - starting in slightly cooler water but the weather has been great in May for the last few years and these are shorter swims…so water temp isn’t a problem. This is a shorter distance ‘slow swimming day out’, multi-swim (non)-event. Number currently restricted to 24 and some head-up breaststroke is expected…encouraged even! These are leisurely swims, on a social day out. West Cornwall is our back yard and we know it better than any other area in Cornwall. Loads of opportunity for great beach swims. Previous footage - CLICK HERE. TICKETS / MORE INFO - CLICK HERE.

JUNE 8 - a little adventure in north Cornwall. The North Cornwall 5K Day. Quite simply, open to anyone that can swim….5k (not in one go)! All abilities welcome, provided you can cover the distance over 3 swims. So approx 1.7km per swim (x3). We have a delightful back-up plan in case of swell or undesirable wind. Limited number on the event, avoiding mass starts and tight turns around buoys… MORE INFO - CLICK HERE

JUNE 18-20 - a ‘slow swimming’ midweek holiday based around west Cornwall, the Lizard and Helford. As there is a huge area to choose swims from, this holiday can offer some absolute beauties! We have suggested a centrally located campsite but you can stay where you like. We have multiple members of staff on safety on these holidays, so pace and distance is very flexible. Loads of potential for a mix of beach and river swims. Previous footage - CLICK HERE. MORE INFO - CLICK HERE

JUNE 25-27 - our standard pace midweek, west Cornwall holiday. By standard pace you’d be looking at the middle lane of a public swimming session (from fastest to slowest)…provided you can cover the distance we really aren’t that bothered. This holiday offers longer distances, of around 1.5-2km per swim. We have ample team members on water safety and we can split the group, if needs be. Again, we know west Cornwall very well. Great potential for lots of beach swims. Previous footage - CLICK HERE. More info - CLICK HERE.

JUNE 29 - Our 10K Day swimming event. 4 swims, over 1 day, totalling 10km. This event will be based in the St Mawes - Roseland area. Numbers on this event are limited to 50. Although some are welcome to race the routes, it is really more of a challenge, than an event. We’ve stripped back the t-shirts and freebees normally associated with this sort of event and simply kept the price down. Great opportunity for beach and river swims. Previous footage - CLICK HERE. More info - CLICK HERE.

JULY 2-4 - slow swimming midweek holiday, based around the Penzance area. Like the other slow swim holidays, we’ll pick nice flat and safe routes over a shorter distance (250m -1km). We’ll try and keep this one centred around Penzance, if the conditions allow. Some amazing beaches in the area for fantastic swims. Previous footage - CLICK HERE. More info - CLICK HERE.

JULY 5-7 - Standard weekend swimming holiday, based in St Ives / Penzance. By standard pace you’d be looking at the middle lane of a public swimming session (from fastest to slowest)…provided you can cover the distance we really aren’t that bothered. This holiday offers longer distances, of around 1.5-2km per swim. We’ll try to include some delightful swims, in the St Ives area…as well as some around Penzance. All swims will be launching from beautiful beaches. Previous footage - CLICK HERE. More info - CLICK HERE.

JULY 12-14 - slow-to-medium pace swimming holiday, in St Austell. This is a flexible speed/distance holiday that allows the participants to explore St Austell Bay. Swimmers have to be able to cover around 500m per swim at their own pace. We’ll have multiple personnel on water safety, so we can subdivide into smaller groups. Previous footage - CLICK HERE. More info - CLICK HERE.

JULY - AUG - we have a selection of one-off swims throughout July and Aug (pace requirements included on the link)…as well as additional dates to come. CLICK HERE for calendar.

SEPT 6-8 - easily one of our most popular weekend swimming holidays. We restrict numbers (15) on this one and it’s a slightly more intimate holiday. The Lizard Peninsula has dozens of fabulous swims on offer, including both beach and river options and the water is a great temp this time of year. Previous footage - CLICK HERE. More info - CLICK HERE.

SEPT 27-29 - Our most affordable swimming holiday. Set on the weekend, in the St Mawes / Roseland area. At the end of Sept the water is nice and warm. The holiday is set in an area that offers great protection from the wind and you have dozen and dozens of river and sea swimming options. Previous footage - CLICK HERE. More info - CLICK HERE.

Slow Swimming Holiday - Case Study, 2023

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2023 was the first year that we offered ‘slow swimming’ holidays and they were extremely popular. One of the holidays fully booked and had a waiting list of 18 people! So obviously, we’ve added lots of additional ‘slow swimming’ activities to our annual calendar.

In this blog post we’ll take a look at two of these hol’s and talk you through all the details. I thought this would be particularly relevant and of interest to anyone that’s never been on a swimming holiday, worries about their pace in regards to group swimming and anyone that simply wants more info. We’ll look at distances, locations, access, staffing, pace…

HOLIDAY 1 : a midweek ‘slow swimming’ holiday, based in west Cornwall, June 13-15. Price £129. Group size was 24, with 3 on water safety (43 seasons of beach lifeguarding/water safety experience between us)…as the forecast was perfect. If it had been slightly more challenging, we would have had 4 on water safety. We’d suggested staying at Tremorvu Campsite but obviously you could have stayed wherever you like.

Swim 1 - Perranuthnoe. Tues, at 3.45pm. Not that well known by tourists but a beautiful beach, with a stunning beach side cafe. After parking, the group strolled up the coastal path on a 500m walk and then down the track to a very quiet, secluded beach. With 3 members of staff on water safety the group soon split up with around 8 people doing a supervised shorter route (approx 400-500m), a number of these swimmers did head-up breaststroke. The other group went on to complete around 1.7km. Both groups swam around a great circular cave route, the ‘distance’ group then went on to navigate some very interesting channels, cut into some flat rock.

Swim 2 - Porthcurno. Weds, at 9.45am. Straight walk from the car park and down the beach, around 400m. On this swim we had a better idea of the group and offered 2 options. Around 10 of the swimmers chose the shorter route out to the Minack Theatre, for a ‘seaside’ view and back to the beach (approx 400m). The second group headed over to Logan Rock and back, around 1.8km, although a few turned back early (approx 1.4km). This for many, was followed by the ‘essentials’…coffee and cake at the cafe, some had lunch.

Swim 3 - Nanjizal. Weds, around 3.30pm. This swim is an absolute beauty that we rarely offer, as the conditions have to be perfect. It’s a straight forward coastal path and a good 20-25 minute walk to the beach, from the car. Here, we swam through ‘Zawn Pyg’ or the ‘Song of the Sea’ cave. Absolutely stunning, world class swim. The route through the cave is around 400-500m. Some of the swimmers enjoyed it so much that they did it twice. A number of the group also swam across the bay…so totalled around 1.3km.

Dinner - we had a delightful and social group dinner at 45 Queen St on the Weds evening.

Swim 4 - 3 Bears Caves Swim. Thurs, 10am. Access to this swim is a little trickier. A 400m walk down a fairly steep coastal path and then a careful bum shuffle down some rocks at the bottom, which all the group comfortably managed. We then had a great swim into 3 caves. All of the group completed the swim at their own pace, around 800m. Some then added some distance, with a swim across the beach - total 1.4km.

Swim 5 - Porthleven. Thurs, at around 2.30pm. A few of the group opted out, as they were tired but came down and did some sun bathing on the quay. Some also jumped off the harbour wall! A leisurely swim out from the harbour, around the reef and back in, on a slack tide. Very easy access along the quay/road. Swim distance approx 1-1.4km. A few waited until the water safety team were back and swam a much shorter route in the harbour.

TOTALS - walking of around 9km and swimming of around 3km-7.5km depending on which route you opted for. Some swam head-up breaststroke, some front crawl and some completed a mixture of the two. One swimmer also opted out of 2 swims…so swam around 1.5-2km.

HOLIDAY 2 - St Mawes / Roseland Peninsula weekend ‘slow-to-medium pace’ swimming holiday. Sept 29 - Oct 1. Price £119 (only 4 swims on this weekend, standard is 5). Group size - 15. 3 on water safety (approx 43 seasons of beach lifeguarding/water safety experience between us). Over the weekend we had sun, a little wind and overcast conditions. We’d suggested staying at Treloan Campsite but participants were free to make their own arrangements.

Swim 1 - St Just-in-Roseland tidal pool / harbour. This is a stunning swim, that requires the right sized tide. We picked one of the biggest tides of the year and put on a swim, that included part of the sunset. 200m walk to the entry point. Swim length was 400 - 1.5km depending on the swim. A few head-up breaststrokers turned back early, with a member of the team.

Swim 2 - St Anthony’s Lighthouse. This required some work on our part, as the forecast changed. We spoke to the group and they were all happy to walk approx 3km to a breathtaking beach, around the corner from St Anthony’s Lighthouse. There we swam approx 1-1.5km up the Percuil River. A few swimmers swam and chatted their way around 400m of the route. Again, we split the water safety team and covered all of the swimmers.

Swim 3 - Porthcurnick. We stopped at the Hidden Hut at Porthcurnick for lunch. A great spot for refreshments. The wind had picked up (as predicted) and made the second swim slightly challenging. After careful planning we all walked over to Portscatho and used the headland for shelter. Whilst it was nice and sheltered in the bay, it got slightly rougher towards the point, which some swimmers quite enjoyed. Half the group stayed in the bay and some swam out to the point. Most of the swimmers climbed onto the swimming pontoon and jumped/dived off. Swim distance 400m - 1km. 500m worth of walking.

Swim 4 - St Mawes Beach. A straight forward swim up the Percuil River, from the beach in St Mawes. After a 200m walk from the car park, you pop down the stairs and you’re on the beach. We swam up the river. Some of the group opted for a 500m swim, while others pushed on and covered around 1.5km. We all ended up in Da Bara Cafe straight after!

TOTALS - around 8km of walking, with 1.9km - 6km of swimming activity. Some swam head-up breaststroke and chatted (a lot!), some front crawl and some completed a mixture of the two.

Annual Lizard Peninsula Swimming Holiday

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One of our highlights every year is the Lizard Peninsula swimming holiday. We always hold it on the first weekend of September. The water is still warm and the crowds have thinned out. We’ve held this holiday for the last four years and each one has been absolutely stunning!

This year we really had to work. We had a southwest swell that rules out the west coast and easterly winds…so our experience really came into play, during the planning for this trip. Despite challenging conditions, we put on 5 delightful swims, in flat and enjoyable conditions.

Swim 1 - Kennack Sands following a route north, along the coastline, using the cliffs for shelter. Clear water, plenty of marine life and a great swim to start everyone off.

Swim 2 - Coverack, another nice and sheltered swim. We swam up and checked out the harbour before again, swimming north and keeping out of the wind. From there we took advantage of the location and popped into Roskilly’s. Epic pizza and ice cream…

Swim 3 - Durgan on the Helford river. Stunning morning swim, in pan flat conditions. Swimming from Durgan over to Trebah, then back across to Durgan to Grebe Beach. Beautiful scenery and weather. From there we visited the very unique and beautiful Potager Gardens for lunch.

Swim 4 - Parbean Beach. Takes some effort to get to but we had a very nice swim towards the mouth of the estuary / end of the headland and back. A new route for us.

Swim 5 - Church Cove / Gunwalloe. A proper sea swim…as we had snuck in a few river routes. Great morning for it and as it was swim 5, we picked a route that allowed a half way exit.

Safe to say that everyone had a fantastic weekend, including the staff! Bring on 2024.

OUR BIGGEST HURDLE

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We attract swimmers from far and wide. We’ve had clients from Scotland (taking advantage of Cornwall Airport, Newquay), Manchester, swimmers from Holland, a lady from south Australia…all over the place. As well as accommodating people from various areas of the country and the world, we also accommodate swimmers of varying abilities, experience and speeds. This is also where one of our major hurdles lies.

On a fairly frequent basis we receive emails and phone calls from clients that have booked and are looking to book, regarding the anxiety they are experiencing over swimming in the sea and their suitability to the activity they have booked. This year we have introduced a ‘slow swimming’ holiday and it’s booked up 2-3 times faster than our standard holidays…and I’ll be shocked if half the people that attend the ‘slow swimming’ holiday aren’t perfectly suited to the ‘standard’ version of our swimming holidays.

So…firstly, we’re not really concerned about the pace that people swim. What we are interested in is whether or not you can swim the distances set out in the holiday/event description. What we’ll also point out is that there is no requirement to complete all of the swims over the course of the holiday/event day. Provided you let us know prior to swim starting, there’s obviously no problem with you sitting a swim out. What we’re are also happy to do is put on a shorter distance swim immediately after the scheduled swim finishes. We adopt a very flexible approach.

Secondly, we base all of our swims on the days conditions. So we never approach a swim day (unless it’s a one-off private booking), with a set swim location or series of swim locations. That way, you swim in the safest conditions possible…for both your own safety and enjoyment and there’s no pressure on us to hold a swim in questionable conditions!

Third and final point, as I’ve already mentioned, we approach all of our activities in a flexible manner. If for example, we had a couple of slower swimmers in the group, we simply split up our water safety team and one of the team would hang back.

If you have any questions regarding swim holidays or swimming events feel free to get in touch.

Swimming Holiday Costs

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Here at Sea Swim Cornwall we do our very best to offer great value for money and make swimming holidays accessible for all. When we first started we took a long hard look at the industry and it was very clear that the majority of swimming holiday out there were unaffordable for a lot of people…or it might be something you’d do once or twice in a lifetime. We decided that we wanted to change that.

We started by offering 3 day (2 1/2 day really) swimming holidays (5 epic swims). Part of the reason for this was that most people would only have to take 1, possibly two days off work to attend a great long-weekend. With a shorter trip, you also don’t have to pay a great deal for accommodation and/or meals out. We offer private one-off bookings, so if anyone did want a few more swims, they can simply get in touch and book either side of the holiday. You may also want to take in some additional activities, so could easily take a week off and do both.

This year we’ve actually put our prices down! During 2022 we tinkered with our usual formula and offered a larger group swimming holiday. It sold out in record time and was our most affordable and popular holiday to date. Whilst we had more people in the water, the ratio of water safety members to swimmers was better than our traditional style holiday and it gave us more flexibility when it came to the group spreading out…it was a very easy decision when it came to rolling out more of these holidays.

Most of the following budgets are based on an individual booking. If you come down as a pair (with a fellow swimmer), you obviously share accommodation expenses etc and benefit from lower accommodation, driving…expenses.

BUDGET HOLIDAY :

Swimming holiday (mid-week option) - £129

Fuel (mid-range, mid-sized car, approx 400 round trip) £70

Additional driving/parking in Cornwall - £50

Camping (2 nights). £15-30

Lunch out - £20

Total : approx £300 / £270 per person if you shared a car and tent

MID-RANGE BUDGET :

Swimming holiday - £139 to £188 (depending on the holiday)

Fuel (mid-range, mid-sized car, approx 400 round trip) £70

Additional driving/parking in Cornwall - £50

B & B (3 nights) - £300-400 (could book with a friend & share cost)

Lunch and 1 dinner out - £50

Total : approx £670 or around £500 per person sharing with a friend

HIGHER-RANGE BUDGET :

Swimming holiday - £188-£239 (depending on which holiday)

Fuel (mid-range, mid-sized car, approx 400 round trip) £70

Additional driving/parking in Cornwall - £50

B & B / Hotel (3 nights) £650 / 2 Nights £450

Lunch & dinner out £70

Total : approx £1,000 for 3 nights or £800 for 2 nights.

TO CHECK OUT OUR 2023 HOLIDAYS - CLICK HERE. We also take private group bookings and offer 1-day events.


Safer Swimming Guide - Porthcurno

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I can’t believe that we’ve written dozens of safe(r) swimming guides over the last couple of years but never written one featuring Porthcurno Beach.

Well here it is. A guide to safer swimming at Porthcurno. There are also a couple of suggested swim routes, over to Logan Rock and around the corner to the Minack Theatre (for a very unique perspective).

Porthcurno to Minack and back - approx 500-600m

Porthcurno to Logan Rock and back - approx 2-2.5km…if you swim Porthcurno to Logan Rock on a fairly large spring tide, at low tide you could walk large parts of it. So if you weren’t up to a 2.5km swim to could do a swim-walk-swim. Just watch out for the nudists!

 

SWIMMING AT PORTHCURNO :

 

PREVIOUS PORTHCURNO SWIMS :

OUR BEST VALUE SWIM HOLIDAY TO DATE

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We're running two of our standard (world class!), self-drive swimming holidays in West Cornwall. We're suggesting that you stay at the Lizard View Campsite, just outside of Helston. The campsite is situated in the quiet, rural countryside, with distant views of Poldhu Beach and the Lizard. We picked this campsite after a number of site visits, for it's stunning location, value for money and it's perfect position. In terms of driving time you're:

15-20 mins away from Falmouth - and swims like Swanpool, Gyllyngvase Beach, Maenporth...

15-20 mins away from the Helford - and a number of glorious swimming options 

15-20 mins away from north/central Lizard Peninsula - and world class swims like Kynance Cove, Church Cove, Cadgwith, Polurrian...

15 mins to the south coast of West Cornwall - epic swims like Prussia Cove, Porthleven, 3 Bears Caves...

20 mins to St Michael's Mount and Penzance

15-20 mins to Hayle and St Ives - swims like Carbis Bay, St Ives 'Island', swims to Porthminster... 

* We typically pick an area where we can offer 2 swims and reduce driving time. The first swim of the day is generally timed to avoid traffic and allows us to park up for the day and not have to worry about the potential issue of parking. We'll then choose a great local option for lunch.

For us, this is the perfect location to base a swimming holiday. For 2023 we're offering recession busting deals! There is no requirement to book at the campsite and you can make alternative arrangements but this is where we'll typically meet pre/post-swim and it offers a really friendly, social element to the holiday. 

We’re offering 2 dates, a weekend and midweek option. The weekend date (June 16-18 2023) is priced at £188 (with a reduced entry price for members) or £125 for our midweek dates (June 13-15 2023).

To book the Lizard View Campsite simply call them direct and make your booking. A 10x10m pitch is £20 per night and will comfortably fit a large tent and up to 4 people. Call Simon on 07572306708. Book a pitch and then book onto our holiday.

This was by far our most popular swimming holiday in 2022, having sold out 8 months before the holiday date and also notching up a decent waiting list.

New Event / Weekend / Holiday / Epic series of swims...

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Here at Sea Swim Cornwall we love a tweak! Each year we’ll offer one holiday that’s a little bit different from our standard format holidays. Mainly just to see if it works, has a good up-take, see if we’ve previously ‘missed a trick’… and also so our clients have a variety of options. This year we used a campsite in the Lizard as a base. Somewhere for everyone to stay, in a central location, that offered good value for money and has a bar! Get the social side of things working…as it had slacked off somewhat (Covid!). We upped the participant numbers and actually reduced the price for this holiday and we’ve never sold a holiday faster!

Now, we’ve looked around for a similar ‘base’ campsite in the Penzance area and found a great site. Very affordable (£5 per adult, per night at the time of writing), flat ground, right in the middle of west Cornwall…5 minute drive to places like St Ives, Hayle, Penzance, Marazion… We were originally looking to promote this holiday for 2023 but we liked the campsite and set up so much we’re going to run it this year - Sept 9-11, 2022. We’re putting on 5 swims : 1 x swim Friday evening, 2 x swims on Saturday, 2 x swims on Sunday. You can book as many or as few swims as you’d like. £30 per swim (members receive a discounted entry). If this holiday proves popular we’ll add additional swims. You don’t have to stay at the campsite, locals don’t have to camp at all…

You initially book a date and time slot. A few days prior to the swim we’ll look at a reliable, short range forecast and pick the swim that best suits the days conditions - both for your enjoyment and safety. You could also book the entire week and contact us about booking some private swims, swim coaching etc prior to the weekend.

For more info and booking click the button below :

Am I suitable for a swimming holiday?

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…is a question that we get all the time and something that I think puts a lot of people off booking swimming holidays. In this article I’ll address this question.
Now obviously I sell and manage swimming holidays, so you may be thinking this will be a bit of a biased article but…you also have to remember that safety for us and our reputation is paramount! Most of the i following info I’ll relate to our holidays but will probably apply to any swimming holiday provider.

SPEED : first up is pace. The majority of people you’ll find on our holidays, you’ll also find in the middle lane(s) of a public swimming session. You’re probably looking at an average 100m speed (over a swim of around 2km) 2 minutes and 30 seconds. Some will go quicker, some slower. This is no issue whatsoever. Quite often, the faster swimmers simply double back and get in some more distance. In general terms, the quicker swimmers are either younger or possibly a little fitter, so a sneaky double back and a bit of extra distance actually works out perfectly for them. SLOW & STEADY SWIMMERS are not generally a problem. It’s not so much about the pace, more about covering the distances. Although, we tow blow up SUPs with us on our swims. If anyone wasn’t confident covering the distances, gets tired, wants a break…we simply get them to climb onto a SUP and we’ll tow them around part of the swim. We also now offer a SLOW SWIMMING HOLIDAY where you can swim entirely at your own pace and we offer a number of different distances on each swim.

DISTANCE : this really depends on the booking. On our standard holidays we cover around 1500m - 3km per swim. We also tailor the swims to the individuals on those holidays. So, we may shorten the distances on all of the swims and then offer additional distance to part of the group at the end of any given swim. Bespoke / private group bookings are entirely tailored to the group, both in terms of the swim distances and the quantity of the swims. I’ll also point out that none of the swims are compulsory and with a little prior warning we can stay in the water at the end of any of the swims and allow clients a shorter swim option… More recently we’ve introduced our ‘slow swimming holiday’ offering flexible distances.

CONDITIONS : all of our swims are dictated by the days conditions, for both your safety and enjoyment. Individual / one-off swims are a little different but we won’t ever guarantee any specific swims or locations until we’ve seen the short term forecast (2-3 days prior to the swim day). The state of the tide may also play a factor. With the bulk of our activity in west Cornwall and the Lizard (which are both basically peninsulas), you’re almost always guaranteed a safe and flat swim. The way we plan these holidays and swims also means that you’ll never get the same swimming holiday twice.

TYPE OF HOLIDAY : it’s always worth making a note of the holiday type. As well as our ‘standard holidays’ we also offer more of a ‘wild swimming’ style holiday experience. Offering more swims, with shorter distances. This might suit you down to the ground, or provide a stepping stone towards our standard holidays.

SWIMMING OPTIONS BY ABILITY

NEWBEES / HEAD-UP BREASTSTROKERS / SLIGHTLY LESS CONFIDENT SWIMMERS : we have private one-off coaching sessions (or small group bookings) and open water confidence sessions and we offer coaching courses (a set of 3 sessions), we also offer very inclusive ‘assisted swims’ (the text is hyperlinked to find out more) and our ‘Wild Swimming Days Out’ may also be appropriate.

SLOW & STEADY / SHORTER DISTANCES : Wild swimming days out would be very appropriate, you may also opt for coaching, assisted swims, you’d be very welcome on our one-off (short notice) weekend swims and membership, private booking (individual and group) and the slow swimming holiday is available as well.

SLOW & STEADY LONGER DISTANCES : Wild swimming days out would be very appropriate, assisted swims, you’d be very welcome on our one-off (short notice) weekend swims and membership, private booking (individual and group) and the slow swimming holiday is available, as well as our standard swimming holidays. I could also look into our 10K Day event.

MEDIUM PACERS : You’d be welcome on any of our events, holidays or general activity. If you were a more mature swimmers that still swims well then definitely take a look at our Dash For Cash event. A handicapped 850m swim, that take age and gender into account. We run swimming MOTs (you’ll need to get in touch), which are a 30 minute coaching session

MEDIUM / FAST(ER) PACE : Again, any and all of our events and holidays are any option. We run swimming MOTs (you’ll need to get in touch), which are a 30 minute coaching session, designed to tweak your stroke and the Dash For Cash might be an option. If you have a collection of friends that swim at a similar speed, you may also look at a private booking swimming holiday.

IN SUMMARY : we’ve had quite a few people almost cancel or simply not turn up to holidays they’ve booked because of various anxieties and nerves surrounding their booking. In all cases it’s been their first swimming holiday and in every case they’ve had a good laugh with us at the end of it…and wondered why they were worried at all. Sea swimming can be quite daunting, particularly if you have limited or no sea swimming experience. As a swimming holiday company we will always put your safety first, as most suppliers will. We’ll always look for the days safest swimming conditions and never put you in unnecessary danger.
If unsure, you can always phone in and have a chat. As I’ve mentioned safety for us is paramount and if you are unsuitable we’ll advise you, we can also take you through other options that are available.

OUR TOP 5 ONE-OFF SWIMS

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These aren’t necessarily the best swimming locations that we’ve experienced. They’re the moments when the conditions were perfect and all those little, random elements aligned and we got it perfectly right.

  1. PORTHCURNO : I didn’t swim this one but covered the water safety. We turned up and swam at 9am a few years ago. The BBC had loads of vehicles in the car park for the filming of Poldark and we must have missed all of the action by about an hour. On the beach there was a very light off shore breeze. The sun was out and it was warm. There were nudists on the beach next door, kit off already it was that warm! The water was crystal clear and as we approached the 1km mark an opera singer started warming up at the Minnack Theatre. Her voice was carried across the water by the wind. This is a swim that has stayed with me for a long time and I doubt I’ll forget.

2. MOTHER IVEY’S BAY : during one of our Charity swims we swam at Mother Ivey’s Bay early in the morning. We’d already completed 2 swims and the sky was clear, so it was freezing! Despite being the middle of summer there was frost on the ground and our feet hurt walking down to the first swims. However, by the time we got to Mother Ivey’s it had warmed up. The sun was in the sky and the water was stunning. Pan flat, there were shafts of light piercing through the water and stretching down to the sea bed. Not a sole to be seen anywhere and perfect quiet. Mother Ivey’s remains one of my favourite north coast swims.

3. ST JUST-IN-ROSELAND POOL / HARBOUR : having been told about it on more than one occasion this was the first time that I swam in the tidal pool, at St Just-in-Roseland. We sailed and moored up fairly close, before rowing to a nearby beach. We then walked along the coastal path to the pool. As it was a glorious sunny day, I walked the coastal path in my swimming trunks. At the start of the swim is a beautiful old church and I got some curious…and some horrified looks from Sunday morning church goers as I walked past the church….at the exact time most exited the Sunday morning service. Lovely swim, phenomenal surrounds and landscape that surrounds this particular route. You need to swim in the pool on a Spring high tide or you’ll run aground!

4. NANJIZAL & THE SONG OF THE SEA : the walk to Nanjizal alone is worth the effort. ‘The Song of the Sea’ is the famous crack in the rock, just in front of the famous rock pool. Last year we walked down and swam through the crack. Breathtaking rock feature and stunning to swim through. There’s a real mix of excitement, fear and beautiful landscape and views when you do a swim like this.

5. LAMORNA TO MOUSEHOLE : a swim on our wish list for some time. I love Lamorna. It can get seaweed stuck in the cove and isn’t always ideal but when you get it right you have tranquil, beautifully clear water, an abundance of sea life… This swim started quite bumpy. The sea was full of jellyfish but they were all fairly deep….so I thought. Until I realised they weren’t really deep, just really small! Any ‘Father Ted’ fans out there might remember the scene with the cows! This was another swim with elements of excitement, beauty, slight fear and fatigue (I wasn’t that fit at the time) all rolled into one. I loved approaching Mousehole from the west, something I hadn’t done before. Incredible seascape the whole way along. Great swim.

Sea Swim Cornwall in 2022

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NEW : we’re still unsure about events for 2022. With the constant threat of new variants and possible future lockdowns we’re going to leave it til a little later… The likelihood being we’ll put on one event. What we are doing is the following : we’re running summer long events, starting in April and running through til Oct/early Nov. We’re running handicapped events, that give time advantages based on your gender and age. This format allows you to swim a particular route at a time of your choosing, either by yourself or as a small group. It allows most entrants a good chance of posting a competitive time, regardless of your age or gender. There will be an overall winner at the end of the summer that will win a cash prize. So far, we have Carbis Bay as a confirmed route and we’ll add an additional route at a later date. MORE INFO CLICK HERE.

SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE : We’ll be offering a monthly subscription (4 weeks at a time), on tried and tested routes in the west of Cornwall. Typically on a Saturday morning but the odd swim may take place on a Friday evening or Sunday morning (if we’re not available on the Saturday). Provided we have good numbers we’ll also contact local businesses near the swim route and arrange some coffee and cake deals post-swim. FOR MORE INFO.

SSC MEMBERSHIP : CLICK HERE FOR FULL DETAILS. So....this year we've made a few changes to our annual membership. We'll simply list the perks below. 

  1. First option on all of our short-notice or planned weekend/midweek swims

  2. Minimum of 10% off our short-notice swims - typically 25%

  3. First option on events and 10% off

  4. Occasional exclusive discounts on merchandise

  5. First discounted option on any swimming holiday places that aren't booked up

  6. We'll also invite you to bring a friend (at same reduced rate) on some swims

  7. Discounted coaching sessions

  8. *If we work on a collaboration with another partner we may not be able to offer discounts on these events ie. working with a pool provider

  9. Generally - you'll be the first to hear about swims, events and holidays and have a head start on booking these, at a discounted rate.

SWIMMING HOLIDAYS : We simply require a £50 reservation fee for any of our holidays. We’re offering them the whole way through the summer. We try and make these holidays as inclusive as possible. If unsure of your suitability simply call us. As well as offering the same winning long weekend formula we’ve also added a wild swimming holiday / vineyard tour and a Lizard Peninsula camping trip. Some of these holidays are almost fully booked, others have good availability (generally down to when we published the holidays info & booking). Holidays generally cost anywhere from £160-250 for the weekend (Fri-Sun).

COACHING & WATER SAFETY COURSES : We’ll continue to offer the same high standard of coaching and water safety awareness courses through 2022. You can either book a voucher or book a slot. We typically start in April and finish early Nov.

Choose your swimming holiday / activity

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We have a range of swims, events and activities, for a range of abilities. This blog post will hopefully help you to decide which option best suits you. I’ll break your options down into what you might swim regularly in terms of distances and speed and your experience level and look at what might be suitable. We’ll start at 1 (which would be a complete beginner) up to 5 (more advanced swimmers).

1.BEGINNER / NOVICE

Just started swimming, possibly don’t swim front crawl or lacking confidence, definitely in need of some coaching…

LOOK AT : 1-2-1 coaching or small group coaching (with some friends), we also run beach safety courses/rip current awareness…

2. SLOW SWIMMING / SHORTER DISTANCES

Maybe looking to swim further and improve technique. May also want to look at small scale swimming events or take on longer swims safely…

LOOK AT : 1-2-1 coaching or small group coaching (with some friends) & we also run beach safety courses/rip current awareness. Take a look at our Swimfari Events - a non-competitive day of swimming, with multiple swims, based on the days conditions. Ideal as a social day out, to gain experience and fitness and ultimately have a laugh.

Another option might be an assisted swim. We tow a SUP around a longer swim with us. This gives the swimmer the option to take regular breaks or catch a lift around sections of the swim. This option open up a whole new world of swimming options that weren’t possible ordinarily.

You may also consider a ‘wild’ swimming holiday. Chat to a member of staff before booking.

3. SLOW SWIMMING / LONGER DISTANCES

LOOK AT : 1-2-1 coaching or small group coaching (with some friends) & we also run beach safety courses/rip current awareness. Take a look at our Swimfari Events - a non-competitive day of swimming, with multiple swims, based on the days conditions. Ideal as a social day out, to gain experience and fitness and ultimately have a laugh.

People often get a little intimidated by swimming holidays. All of our swims are based on the conditions and the average pace of swimmer is generally around 2-2.30 mins per 100m over a distance swim (approx 20-25 mins per km). We obviously have slower and faster swimmers…but we either split the water safety/group up or swim as a group and the faster swimmers double back regularly.

We offer our unique ‘10k Day’ events, taking in 3-4 swims over the course of the day, that total….10km! We’ve stopped this type of event for 2020 (Covid fitness issues) but it will come back. The Swimfari Event follows the same format but with shorter distances.

We also have short-notice / weekend swims or privately book a swim.

4. PUBLIC SESSION MIDDLE LANE SWIMMERS (APPROX)…

You may still look at coaching or water safety courses.

You’ll definitely need to look at Swimming Holidays, all of our events, as well as our one-off swims and private bookings. As well as set-date swimming holidays we also take private group booking swimming holidays (tailoring the holiday to the group), generally starting with as few as 4 people in the group.

5. MIDDLE - FAST LANE PUBLIC SESSION SWIMMER

You’ll definitely need to look at Swimming Holidays, all of our events, as well as our one-off swims and private bookings. As well as set-date swimming holidays we also take private group booking swimming holidays (tailoring the holiday to the group), generally starting with as few as 4 people in the group.

We also cover longer distance swim (up to 10km) private bookings. Either individuals or we’ll take small groups (provided they stay as a group through the swim)….as well as body surfing tuition.

Swim Camp

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This year Sea Swim Cornwall are rolling out a new type of swimming holiday. We’re basing ourselves at a campsite on the Lizard Peninsula. The campsite is very central and around 15 minutes drive away from a large number of world class swims.

You have places like Kynance Cove, Church Cove, Porthallow, Cadgwith Cove, Lizard Point, Kennegy Sands… just a stones throw away.

The idea of the holiday is to allow you to book as many, or as fewer swims as you’d like. You simply book the accommodation and then book individual swims. The swims are then broken into groups - the groups based on speed and distance. We have every confidence that this camping / swimming holiday will go well this year, we’ll then look to add coaching sessions, water safety and rip awareness courses and a whole loads of extras for next year’s swimming trip. We also tow a large SUP on the swims. This allows swimmers the chance to climb aboard and have a breather, whilst still being involved with the swim and adds an additional layer of safety to the swims.

The concept and some of the locations are detailed in the video below :

Swimming in Cornwall in a westerly wind

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Strong westerly wind blows in - what do you do?

This week we were hosting a journalist for a national newspaper and the wind was howling in from the west. We had to do a bit of travelling but still got in some great swims.

A medium to strong westerly can be a little tricky to escape when on the north or west coast but it can be done…generally with a little bit of driving. With a strong westerly you may also need to check the swell direction. A SW swell along with a westerly wind may well rule out the south coast.

You can always hit most of the harbours at high tide for some sheltered swimming but if you want a bit more of an adventurous swim…

If you don’t mind a bit of a drive - Cadgwith Cove, Coverack or Church Cove in the Lizard.

You could take up the opportunity for a strong tail wind and swim from Mousehole to Sandy Cove, just before Newlyn Harbour. St Clement’s Isle (aka Mousehole Island) may also be an option.

Additionally, you could check out most of the swims in the Falmouth area, Gorran Haven, Charlestown/Porthpean, the Portscatho area or you could head for somewhere like Carrick Roads - obviously do your research on the tides.