In this podcast Darrin Roles talks about the Lock-to-Lock swim series in the Thames, Oxfordshire, its origins and its development.

open water swimming all year round near the arctic circle

Catch-up on Lock to Lock swim preparation after a long layoff, with Darrin Roles and Stuart Hacker

I love the kick, the buzzing feeling that awakens the whole nervous system and all the senses I love the “I am alive feeling” I get.

The uninitiated, not knowing this beast, may not appreciate the urgency with which cold hands dress themselves. The drop waits for no-one.

Adventure, people, swimming and solitude There are so many things to love about our wonderful sport. I genuinely feel that my own open...

Looking to the other end of a swimming pool can be daunting for some, especially if you have just started swimming. Contemplating a mile...

For as long as I can remember, I have had a deep connection with water – in any form. Something about it draws me close to it,...

Swimming is my joy. It is the time when I feel every bit of my body, and enjoy it in a way that is lost to me when I am on dry land.

What I feel is taking place in these now frequented open-water swimming spots is not just a connection to the environment but also to each o

“Our last swim,” falls from the lips, muted by what lay ahead in the cold temperatures just yards from the muddy wet cold banks.

We all respond differently to cold water and if you’re new to cold water swimming, its good to get informed.

The internal journey one feels whilst in cold water can be described as very dramatic. And yet the idea is to be completely calm with yourse

I have really missed racing so I was overjoyed to find that the SwimOxford swimrun was going ahead with Covid safety measures in place. I’ve

And so we gather for a night swim, to be lit by a full moon.

Fins are amazingly dynamic – adding a great sense of power that can really enhance your swimming experience.

From the silty current of the Thames: a wild-swimmer’s view of the wildlife

Beyond the bridge, adventure waits until currents have slowed and temperatures lifted.

As the Lockdown draws on, there is but a glimmer of hope. Slightly larger groups are allowed to assemble at a safe distance.

Please consider when swimming, where is your hand?