Low Wood Bay is hosting the Big Chill Swim Windermere which will take place over the weekend of 30th January – 1st February. It would seem that open water swimming is the new hot (or should I say cold!) trend.
The Outdoor Swimming Society reports a 77% increase in membership since 2006 and growing by around 9 members daily. They list details of 940 outdoor places to swim in England – the fact that it’s a long list is probably not surprising since it is said that wherever you are in the UK you are not more than 70 miles from the sea, not to mention the many and varied lakes and rivers! (more…)

Cassie Patten

Cassie Patten


Cassie Patten became a household name in open water swimming when she won bronze at the 2008 Bejing Olympics.
Just a short time after this victory she went on to take first place at the inaugural Great North Swim in September 2008 hosted at Low Wood Bay, beating her friend and rival Kerri Anne Payne.
With just ten days left until the competitors take to the water for the 2014 Great North Swim, Cassie gives us a few tips and sends her best wishes to each swimmer, whatever their goal.
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Low Wood Bay, on the shores of Lake Windermere is the home of open water swimming. The Lake District Hotel has hosted The Great North Swim, the UK’s biggest open water swimming event, since 2008 and the The Big Chill Swim, possibly the UK’s coldest winter open water swim event, since 2012 – the water temperature was 5 degrees this year! (more…)

Low Wood Bay has hosted many open water swim events from its enviable lakeside location in the Lake District. Events include the Great North Swim – an open water summer swim in the great outdoors, or for those brave enough to tackle the cold, The Chill Swim which recently attracted 570 brave souls in 2014. We have also cheered on Davina McCall as she completed the open water section of her Beyond Breaking Point Sport Relief challenge.
As a result, open-water fever has gripped a number of English Lakes employees who have taken to the water as a personal challenge including David Neale, English Lakes Commercial Director.

The joys of open water swimming

Ian Woods and David Neale

Ian Woods and David Neale


I discovered the joys of open water swimming about 3 years ago as I took on the challenge of the Great North Swim in Lake Windermere. (more…)

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