| FREEDOM TO ENJOY OPEN WATER | River and Lake Swimming Association | SAFETY THROUGH INFORMATION | ||||||
| Swimming legally | Trespassing | The HSE | Occupiers Liability |
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 No walls, no lanes, no chlorine just the great outdoors The schedule is as follows:
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Celebrate Lord Byron’s Bicentennial Swim - Crossing of the Fabled Hellespont in Turkey [Organised by SwimTrek]. More...  |
Alan Titmuss, secretary of the Serpentine Swimming Club died from cancer on October 16, 2009, aged 73  Dabbed 'Mr Serpentine' Alan was the club's secretary for 40 years and is credited with being largely responsible for its high reputation. He did important work on the club records, which will preserve its history forever, and tenaciously nurtured it through difficult periods in the 1980s and 1990s. Alan fought hard to ensure that members could swim in the lake all the year round between 6 and 9.30am, and was behind the club becoming a founder member of the River and Lake Swimming Association (RALSA). Brian Thomas who succeeded him as the club's secretary, summed up member's feelings: 'Alan's contribution to the Serpentine Swimming Club can never be overestimated. He was an inspiration to us all'. Club member Daphne Ingham added: 'As a recent member, I did not know Alan Titmuss, but I would like to record here how grateful I am for everything he achieved. The Serpentine Swimming Club is an inspiring and life-enhancing institution. Long may his influence live on' . |
| 3.24 million adults - almost 8 percent of the adult population - named swimming as their favourite activity and claimed to spend 30 minutes or more in a pool at least once a week. This puts swimming (in all waters) ahead of all other sporting activities. |
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Hung Out to Dry: Swimming and British Culture by Chris Ayriss 
After years of discouragement by the Church, Britain led the world into a new
association with water. Swimming and bathing took on unbelievable popularity, and
as the Empire grew, so our culture spread abroad. The rivers, lakes and canals of this
green and pleasant land became home to throngs of swimmers young and old. Yet
Britain’s pride in its swimming heritage has not endured. Today those who venture
into rivers to enjoy their sport are termed ‘wild swimmers’ and are viewed, at best as
eccentrics, though more often they are seen as lawbreakers. Guide books direct us to
out of the way beauty spots where we can swim secretly away from the disapproving
gaze of critics, but prejudice is evident everywhere. Hung Out to Dry is unlike any
other book on this subject. Rather than bemoaning the fact that our freedom to swim
has been restricted, it provides answers to the burning question that all wild swimmers
have at one time asked: ‘how did a nation of outdoor swimmers find themselves
chased out of the water, rounded up and confined to indoor swimming pools?’
Through this book you will discover how pride turned to prejudice as swimmers
sparked the development of our unique culture of prudishness. The author feels that a
pre-requisite to change is a true understanding of the problem.The author describes himself as 'coming from the working class, lacking the education so many take as a prerequisite for publishing a book and battling with dyslexia'. Congratulations to Chris on his great achievement. RRP £12.50 - Published by lulu.com - ISBN 978-0-557-12428-2 - Available in the UK at: www.hungouttodry.co.uk From December 2009 it should be available to order from all good bookshops. Available worldwide from: www.lulu.com/content/paperback-book/hung-out-to-dry-swimming-and-british-culture/7686857 wild swimming COAST by Daniel Start  Described by the author as 'the salty sequel to Wild Swimming freshwater original' Daniel's new book is a journey along Britain's coastline discovering secret beaches, sandy coves, smugglers' caves, deep lagoons and hidden places to swim, snorkel and sunbathe. Very well researched, with 350 venues, magnificent pictures and volumes of information (there is even a chapter on seashore foraging!), the book is another 'must have' for all lovers of the outdoors. Our congratulations to Daniel on another great achievement. See details or order a copy See article in the Times Published in 2008: (See also Tom de Castella books review in the Financial Times Click here) SWIMHIKING IN THE LAKE DISTRICT AND NORTH EAST ENGLAND By Peter Hayes Swimhiking is based on a simple idea: instead of leaving your clothes on the shore, take them with you in a swimsac.More... See also BBC TV item WILD SWIM By Kate Rew Wild Swim is a lovely book in all its aspects. Its tone accommodates comedy, glee, beauty, discomfort and hard fact. More... WILD SWIMMING By Daniel Start Daniel's book is a 'must have' for seasoned wild swimmers who will be introduced to scores of new magical swimming holes all over the UK. More... |
There is now little doubt that the attitude of some UK organisation towards
swimming in natural water, inland water in particular, is not only unique - it looks increasingly irrational and obsessive.
Take, for example the following extract from the official website of the Yosemite National Park in the States MORE....
Take, for example the following extract from the official website of the Yosemite National Park in the States MORE....
 'For water safety advice talk to the cool people in swimsuits not to the wet people in grey suits' [Pete Roberts] Click here to discover how the health and safety merchants manipulate the media. |
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Extracts from the judgement in the Tomlinson v Congleton BC HSE clarifies scope of 'Blue Book' Heath ponds court victory Environment Agency clarifies its attitude to swimming |
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 So who are the Health and Safety Bonkers? Click here to find out. |
The Pooling Resources Group has been set up to help people campaigning for their local pools Good News - a lido re-opens Mark Thompson wrote (Dec 08): Clifton Lido in Bristol has re-opened after being closed for twenty years. It is a small victorian lido. The interesting thing is that the water will be heated by solar panels. It will be interesting to see how this works. Clifton Lido claims that the water temperature will be good enough for swimming for 10 months of the year. I believe London Fields Lido in Hackney has done something similar. For more info see http://www.lidobristol.com/ Local authorities, concerned at the rising cost of energy, are looking for savings. With every swim costing on average £5, and being subsidised to the tune of £3.30 (so swimmers only pay £1.70 per swim) they are fully justified in doing so. Among proposals being considered are: lowering the temperature, delaying refurbishment plans and even closure of some of the UK's 5,200 pools. There is of course, as our members are very well aware, a much cheaper alternative to heated pools. It just needs to be permitted! Do we really need to tell Richard Caborne the Sports Minister? Surely in hot weather provision for outdoor swimming, perhaps in depth-restricted areas of lakes could be considered. There'd be no heating bill to pay. Click here for links to lido and other media articles. |
David Gallico wrote (October 2008): |
Black Park Click here 
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Bury Lake Following the latest legal clarifications of operators liabilities regarding swimming in open water there is no longer a justification for keeping traditional inland water bathing sites, such as at Bury Lake, Rickmansworth closed to the public. More.. |
Brereton Heath Want to know why swimming is still banned in the lake which was at the centre of the Tomlinson case? Click here.. |
| RALSA is an association of clubs & individuals representing wild swimmers. Membership is free and we make no demands. Please join us to show your support [Click here] |
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Please contact us by emailing to: yacovlev@hotmail.com Media enquiries: 0151 428 3990 (9 till late) 0793 0810 316(M) Postal address: 26 Baroncroft Rd. Woolton Liverpool L25 6EH |
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