An early misty September morning saw the start of the beautiful Lock to Lock Swim-Run on the banks of the Thames at Eynsham, with around 100 participants braving the course through tepid waters, open meadows and the ancient woodlands of Wytham. Huge well done to all who took part. Here are some images celebrating the epic day and thank you for being part of the Wild Swim series.
The Swim-Run is exactly that, a wild event with no fuss, whistles or bells.
This may not be for everyone, however the simplicity and rural landscape this SwimRun is set in makes for a natural feel, organic, raw, earthy and gritty.
The Lock to Lock Wild Series is about stripping it back to the essentials, with minimum interventions from us – apart from the tea & cakes – and maximum immersion from you.
This Lock to Lock SwimRun 2021 has gruelling uphill woodland runs, longer swims for the wild swimmer, open landscape for the cross country runner.
These are the selected photos of the hearty, gutsy competitors who took part.
Without the endless commitment and continued support from all the Swim Oxford Volunteers these magical events would not come into being. I am humbled by the compassion and true spirit in which it is given.
Thank you all for coming together and embracing the Wild Swim Series.
"As the swim-runners started to gather, I realised there was always the sound of laughter coming from one direction or another."
"As soon as you arrive, you feel like you’re with friends – even if you’ve come on your own!"
"It was really peaceful. It didn’t feel like a big event – just a personal challenge."
"It was a bit of a relief to see I wasn’t the only one walking up that hill. Next year’s target is to run up it (even if I have to do it slowly)."
"This is the most quietly stunning location for an event and the organisers managed to fit the event into that environment. There wasn’t the shiny glitz and waste produce of a lot of the events I’ve done. It was more organic, so we could actually experience the river and the woods and get a sense of the place. Loads of events choose great locations then transform them with colour and noise which can spoil things and make events feel a bit samey. Fitting into the location instead of branding it feels right for a climate-challenged world too. Really special."
"I love the way these events are informal and relaxed (like, the cake at the end really is homemade and served by lovely people – in aprons!!), but everything is also so professionally run – it’s kind of magic how your bags turn up when and where you need them. "
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