Product Description

In this beautiful and inspiring guide Kate Rew, founder of the Outdoor Swimming Society, takes the reader on a wild journey across Britain as she plunges into rivers, lakes, lidos and seas. Together with documentary photographer Dominick Tyler she tells the stories of over 100 remarkable swims. Each is a mini-adventure, accommodating humour, glee, beauty, discomfort and hard fact as she and a band of fellow swimmers travel the country with enough common sense to avoid drowning and enough recklessness to dive in. As well as tales for armchair swimmers, this book contains everything needed for would-be adventurers to make their own journeys, with over 300 referenced swim spots. There's something for everyone - waterfalls, natural jacuzzis, sea caves and mellow rivers - suiting every kind of swimmer from a five-year-old in water-wings to an epic adventurer, wild camper, hiker, lazy-hazy summer picnicker or cold-water connoisseur.Containing swim ratings, useful contacts and a fully comprehensive map, "Wild Swim" is the definitive guide to outdoor swimming in Britain from the Outer Hebrides to the Isles of Scilly and everywhere in between.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #654 in Books
• Published on: 2008-05-27
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 208 pages

Review
A wonderful and joyful romp of a book. Roger Deakin would have approved. 'Wild Swim', like Waterlog, will launch a thousand swimmers. So go on. Dive in. --Robert Macfarlane, author of 'The Wild Places'

'Wild Swim' is a bit like a glossy recipe book, only with pictures of delicious lakes and rivers where you would normally find souffles and stews, and mouth-watering descriptions of dips in lochs and oceans instead of recipes. --Craig Brown, Mail on Sunday

'Wild Swim' is a book born out of genuine love for its subject; serious swimmers and seaside paddlers alike should dip in. --Charlotte Ross, Evening Standard

Synopsis
In this beautiful and inspiring guide Kate Rew, founder of the Outdoor Swimming Society, takes the reader on a wild journey across Britain as she plunges into rivers, lakes, lidos and seas. Together with documentary photographer Dominick Tyler she tells the stories of over 100 remarkable swims. Each is a mini-adventure, accommodating humour, glee, beauty, discomfort and hard fact as she and a band of fellow swimmers travel the country with enough common sense to avoid drowning and enough recklessness to dive in. As well as tales for armchair swimmers, this book contains everything needed for would-be adventurers to make their own journeys, with over 300 referenced swim spots. There's something for everyone - waterfalls, natural jacuzzis, sea caves and mellow rivers - suiting every kind of swimmer from a five-year-old in water-wings to an epic adventurer, wild camper, hiker, lazy-hazy summer picnicker or cold-water connoisseur.Containing swim ratings, useful contacts and a fully comprehensive map, "Wild Swim" is the definitive guide to outdoor swimming in Britain from the Outer Hebrides to the Isles of Scilly and everywhere in between.

About the Author
Kate Rew is a freelance journalist, who regularly contributes to the Observer and is founder of The Outdoor Swimming Society.

Customer Reviews

A great book
Having read all the previous reviews there is little left for me to add. This is a marvellous achievement and a great contribution towards making open water swimming accepted in the UK as, indeed it is everywhere else in the world. Congratulations to Kate for flowing (sorry..) text and to Dominick for some stunning photography

Attractive and useful, but more info would help
This is a gorgeous, well-written and well-presented book. The author's genuine emotional involvement in outdoor swimming is evident and infectious and, knowing some of the places she describes, I'm with her.

I have two gripes which cost the book a star: some fantastic sites are missing, and some gazetteer information (like maps) would be helpful. Don't let that put you off - it's a fine book anyway.

If you do want more, Wild Swimming (Wild Swimming: 150 Hidden Dips in the Rivers, Lakes and Waterfalls of Britain) is a good companion. It's more of a simple guide, but touches on some places that 'Wild Swim' doesn't and has more navigation info

Very good, needs more info though
Very good, but "arty" For us non-natives, more maps and landmarks would be helpful. Nice photos! Driving instructions, opening times, and other resources (bathing house, tea rooms) would have made this book perfect. I did enjoy the Malham Tarn swim, but had trouble finding the place.