Category: Adventure swimming

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Kerry Andrew: SKIN

A person with short blonde hair and a long fringe, submerged up to their shoulders in the water. They are looking down at their reflection in the water. The water is flat and calm and there are trees in the distance.

Author Kerry Andrew joins me to talk about SKIN, a story of mystery, myths and – of course – swimming.

SKIN follows the journey of eleven-year-old Matty. Joe, father to Matty, has disappeared, and nobody will explain where he’s gone, or why. Kerry captures the joy of outdoor swimming as Matty finds peace in the water, firstly in the Hampstead Ponds, and later in the loughs of Ireland, although it’s not always a harmonious relationship.

In this episode, Kerry describes the novel and the inspiration, as well as a dream swim that’s definitely going on my wishlist!

SKIN is available now in hardback and paperback.

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Adventure swimming Channel swimming Episodes

Jo Jones: If you never try, you’ll never know

Jo Jones swimming in the Bristol Channel

In 2020, Jo Jones took on the Bristol Channel, following in the footsteps of Kathleen Thomas, the first person to cross the channel almost 100 years earlier. But things didn’t go to plan, and with the open water swimming season coming to a close, a broken boat and bad weather put the swim under threat.

Jo talks through the lessons learnt over her journey, from the resilience needed to bounce back from the cancelled swim, to how her mindset of ‘just enjoy it’ led to her setting the fastest ever time for the crossing.

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Adventure swimming

Shannon Keegan: In search of Memphre

A swimmer raises their arm. Morning light reflects off the water, and mist rises up.

Shannon Keegan has a personal relationship with Lake Memphremagog. It’s the place that inspired her to take part in her first open water swim event, and where she caught the wild swimming bug, so it’s no surprise it’s somewhere that she’s returned to multiple times since. In this episode she talks about swimming across the 25 mile lake in search of Memphre – the mythical lake creature who lives there.

Shannon speaks in such a real and honest way about swimming, from the nerves before her first event, to what it felt like as she stepped into the water at nighttime for her 25 mile swim.

Through her work at Intrepid Water, Shannon helps other people find that same love of outdoor swimming, and shes’ been documenting the experiences of endurance swimmers through Marathon Swim Stories.

Intrepid water
Marathon Swim Stories

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Adventure swimming Episodes

Swimming the Golden Gate Bridge to Alcatraz

A swimmer in front of the Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco

I share my once in a lifetime experience of swimming from the Golden Gate Bridge to Alcatraz. Not quite the route of the legendary swim from the prison, but close enough (I’ll have to go back one day!)

I can’t swim right now due to lockdown conditions, but I can reminisce about swimming! From being so nervous I didn’t want to go, to being in the water and seeing these two iconic landmarks from a very different perspective. 

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Adventure swimming Episodes

Matt Williams: Swimming the Lakes

Man in wetsuit swimming front crawl in lake, with mountains in the background

Adventurer Matt Williams on his incredible challenge to be the first person to swim every lake in the Lake District!

Matt shares his feelings ahead of the challenge – and how he needs more socks! Then we catch up again to find out how he got on, and the unexpected highs and lows on the journey.

Sponsor Matt

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Adventure swimming Episodes

Liz Roe: A great day out

A swimmer in a wetsuit swimming past boats

A dedicated open water swimmer, Liz loves the freedom swimming outdoors gives and loves to encourage others into the water to experience this for themselves. In this interview Liz talks about her move from triathlon to longer swims. She recounts her swim across the longest lake in England, Lake Windermere, and her journey to becoming an open water swim coach and helping others get into the water. 

Liz’s website: Lakes Lidos Lanes

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