Bray Lake, Windsor Road, Maidenhead
All abilities welcome for four sessions per week between April and late Summer. There’s also a junior triathlon club that uses the lake for swim sessions. www.braylakeswimming.co.uk
Open-water swim venues
Open-water swimming venues and information from across the UK
Sovereign Centre, Royal Parade, Eastbourne, BN22 7LQ
Some Eastbourne Swimming Club members meet at the beach for a sea swim on Saturday and Sundays throughout the year. They welcome all abilities. www.eastbourneswimmingclub.org
The Quays, Coleford Bridge Road, Mytchett, Camberely, GU16 6DS
You can just turn up and pay on the day to swim at The Quays, no membership required. It’s £6, with multiswim options (£54 for 10 or £108 for 20. www.trisportuk.org
Thames Young Mariners Lake, Ham Fields, Richmond, TW10 7RX
RG Active run open-water coaching and ‘just swim’ sessions at Ham Lake. The coached sessions are £10, and the free swim £5. www.rgactive.com
Heron Lake, Wraysbury, Middlesex, TW19 6HW
Offering swimming on Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Wednesday, Heron Lake is £5 per session, £40 for a block of 10 or £300 for a 100 session card. There are hot showers, toilets, wetsuit hire and even accommodation if you pre-book. www.openwaterswimminguk.co.uk
Haysden Lake, Tonbridge
Free to members of 7 Oaks Tri Club or £5 to non-members, sessions are Mondays from May to the end of September, and last from 18:30 until dusk. Club policy is that swimmers should be able to do 400m in 10mins or less if they want to get involved. www.7oakstriclub.co.uk
Leybourne Lakes, Lunsford Lane, Larkfield, ME20, 6JA
You have to take an assessment before you’re allowed to swim at Leybourne, which costs £30 and lasts approximately one hour. After that, sessions are £5 each and swim sessions are supplemented with regular Aquathlons and sprint tris. www.leybournelakewatersports.co.uk
Gosfield Lake, Church Roat, Gosfield, CO9 1UD
With the water being no more than 5ft deep over most of the lake, Gosfield is ideal for beginners. Sessions are Tuesdays from 18:30-20:30 and Sunday mornings from 07:00-08:30 and cost £5. www.gosfieldlake.co.uk
Taplow Lake, Amerden Lane, Taplow, SL6 OEA
Single swims at Taplow are £5, and blocks of 10 can be bought in advance for £40. The lake is open twice per week, from 18:00 until sunset on Wednesday and Fridays. Changing facilities, showers and wetsuit hire are all available on location. www.taplow-ows.co.uk
Westhorpe Water Sports, Little Marlow, Bucks, SL7 3RQ
Open from Monday May 5 to Saturday 30 August in 2014, Westhorpe Watersports offer four sessions per week on Monday and Wednesday evenings from 17:00-20:30, a race series on Thursday evenings, and an Aquathlon series on Saturday mornings. Wetsuits must be worn, although you can seek permission to swim without, and there is a clubhouse […]
Tri2O, Copethorne Hotel, Pingewood, Reading, RG30 3UN
Tri2O welcome swimmers of all abilities and are in their seventh year running the swim centre at The Reading Lake. There are changing rooms, showers and wetsuit hire available and the lake temperature is updated daily on the website. All swimmers have to sign a waiver form before taking to the waters (only once per […]
Liquid Leisure, Datchet, Berkshire, SL3 9HY
There are four sessions per week at Liquid Leisure, on Monday and Thursday evenings and Saturday and Sunday mornings. The venue is also replete with changing rooms with showers, as well as a sauna and Jacuzzi. Wetsuit hire is available on the day. It costs £5 per swim, £40 for a block of 10 sessions […]
Cotswold Water Park, Gloucestershire
If you’re a full member, you can swim any day before 10:00, and on a Tuesday and Thursday evening after 17:30. Full membership is £75.00, and there’s also a half year fee that covers September to March for £45.00. You can also do a one-off session for £5 if you’re accompanied by a member and […]
Lakeside Country Park, Eastleigh, SO50 5PE
Open on Tuesday and Saturday mornings from 06:00-08:00. Prices are £8 for non-members, and £6 for BTF members. www.wildswimming.co.uk
Poole, Beach Office, Shore Road
The East Dorset Open Water Swimming Club meet on Tuesdays at 18:00 for a 18:15pm swim. The first swim of 2014 is set for April 15. They welcome newcomers, with the only proviso being that you should be capable of swimming continuously for 30mins. www.edowsc.org
Teignmouth, Lighthouse car park
Exeter Triathlon Club hold open-water swim training in the sea once per week between the start of June and September. Cost is £2 for club members and £3 for non-members. There are different groups according to your ability level, and lifeguards on hand to make sure everyone stays safe. Registration is at 18:30, for an […]
Serpentine Lido, Hyde Park, London, W2 2UH
The Serpentine Swimming Club offer a variety of sessions throughout the year, including those where you don’t have to wear a wetsuit – if you’re brave enough! There’s free swim hours and organised coaching sessions for triathletes and open water swimmers. www.serpentineswimmingclub.com
Hampstead Heath Ponds, Millfield Lane, London, N6 6JL
The three ponds are generally for pleasure swimming, but there are wetsuit sessions available for fitness swimming. All three have showers, changing rooms and toilets. www.cityoflondon.gov.uk
Swim for Tri, Hyde Park & Upminster, London
With two different open-water locations, one being the fantastic Serpentine in Hyde Park, Swim For Tri’s sessions are a bit more pricey as they’re coaching rather than free swim. A one-off session at either location will set you back £20, but you can buy multiple sessions too. www.swimfortri.co.uk
Barton Marina, Barton Under Needwood, Staffordshire, DE13 8DZ
Derby Tri Club run two sessions a week here during the summer months. Wednesday 18:15-19:30 and Saturday 08:30-10:30. £3 for members, £5 for non-members. www.derbytriathlonclub.co.uk
Top Barn Farm, Holt Heath, Worcester, WR6 6NH
Sessions are Saturdays from 08:00-10:00 and Thursdays from 18:00-20:00. www.topbarnactivity.co.uk
Bosworth Water Trust, Market Bosworth, Nuneaton, CV13 6PD
Bosworth Water Trust is a 50-acre leisure park. Tri and open-water swimmers can swim on Thursday evenings and Saturday mornings. www.bosworthwatertrust.co.uk
Regatta Lake, National Watersports Centre, Holme Pierrepont, NG12 2LU
Absolute Tri make use of the superb facilities at the National Watersports Centre and offer sessions in the 2km rowing lake. There’s also a running track around the edge if you want to combine a swim and run session. However, these sessions are strictly members only. www.absolutetriathlonclub.co.uk
Activities Away, Thorpe Lane, South Hykeham, Lincoln, LN6 9NW
Activities Away run sessions on Saturday, Sunday and Wednesday evenings that cost £5 each and wetsuits are compulsory. There’s suit hire available if you don’t have your own. www.activities-away.com
