Supervised Open-Water Swim Sessions

While it's perfectly normal to feel a little nervous when you first do an open-water session, you'll be surprised how quickly you'll come to enjoy swimming in the outdoors. Many centres offer coached  and supervised open-water swim sessions. It's time to find out what you've been missing.

North and Scotland

Balloch Public Slipway
Where: Loch Lomond, Scotland
Contact: glasgowtriathlonclub.co.uk

Three Sisters Water-Ski Centre
Where: Wigan, Gtr Manchester
Contact: theendurancecoach.com

Salford Watersports Centre
Where: Salford, Gtr Manchester
Contact: salford.gov.uk

Boundary Water Park
Where: Knutsford, Cheshire
Contact: uswimopenwater.com

Central

Top Barn Activity Centre
Where: Holt Heath, Worcs
Contact: www.absolutetriathlonworcester.co.uk

National Watersports Centre
Where: Holme Pierrepont, Notts
Contact: absolutetri.com

Hilton Lavender Patch
Where: Hilton, Derbyshire
Contact: meynellvalleyhunters.com

Box End Park
Where: Kempston, Beds
Contact: boxendpark.com

South

Gosfield Lake
Where: Halstead, Essex
Contact: born2tri.co.uk

Redricks Lake
Where: Sawbridgeworth, Herts
Contact: redrickslakes.co.uk

Stubbers Adventure Centre
Where: Upminster, Essex
Contact: swimfortri.com

Open Water Swim UK
Where: Datchet, Berkshire
Contact: openwaterswim.co.uk

Westhorpe Watersports Centre
Where: Little Marlow, Bucks
Contact: openwaterswim.co.uk

Taplow Lake
Where: Maidenhead, Bucks
Contact: taplow-ows.co.uk

Tri20 Open-Water Swim Centre
Where: Reading, Berkshire
Contact: mysportingtimes.com

Parliament Hill Lido
Where: Hampstead, London
Contact: cityoflondon.gov.uk/hampstead

Princes Club
Where: Bedfont, Middlesex
Contact: www.princesclub.com/swimming.html

Heron Lake
Where: Wraysbury, Middlesex
Contact: openwaterswimminguk.co.uk

Ham Lake
Where: Richmond, London
Contact: rgactive.com

Serpentine Lido
Where: Hyde Park, London
Contact: serpentinelido.com

The Quays
Where: Camberley, Surrey
Contact: trisportuk.org/swimming

Thorpe Water Ski Lake
Where: Chertsey, Surrey
Contact: nowca.org

South West and Wales

Cotswold Water Park
Where: Cirencester, Gloucs
Contact: ukwatersports.co.uk

East Dorset Open Water Swimming Club
Where: Poole, Dorset
Contact: edowsc.org

NOWCA

The National Open Water Coaching Association (NOWCA) was set up by coaches Rick Kiddle, and Martin Allen to raise standards for swimmers. Its specific aim is to "provide safe, quality open-water training facilities for the use of swimmers and other water-sport participants, with training and coaching provided by appropriately qualified and NOWCA- registered coaching personnel". For a list of NOWCA's approved lakes visit nowca.org.