Staggeringly, a quarter of the year has passed since the last Friday night drop in swim sesh in June. We know, through seeing a bunch of you up at The Shed, and interacting with many of you on social media, that you’ve been out and about notching up some great successes and experiences this summer. As the remnants of late summer fade into autumn we sense that ‘enteritis' has begun! Plotting, planning and committing to 2018 and 2019 events and beyond is in full flow and as alw

Ever since we opened the doors to The Swim Shed there are countless things that give us a daily buzz…but the one that brings us the most happiness is helping people achieve what they didn’t think was possible for them. Our last clients today were the brilliantly funny and enthusiastic Blackmore’s, Ashley & Ros and their dog, Stanley, from Cambridgeshire. It was their final coaching session and check-in with Keith before flying to Copenhagen next week to compete in their first

EXPOSED WHITE FLESH AND SUNBURN, HALF COOKED CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS, QUEUEING FOR CHILDREN'S ATTRACTIONS, BUMPER TO BUMPER ALONG THE M5…GLORIOUS SIGNS THAT SUMMER IS ALL AROUND US! Longer, lighter, warmer days, calling us to lidos and lakes, rivers and seas. Laden with hidden health benefits, open water immersions are not for the chosen few. Bodies of water are for all bodies who choose! Swim in two’s or three’s…or twenty-three’s, it’s sociable and it’s safer. We are taking a bre

These longer summer days are a joy! More time for everything, or so it seems. Great if you are heading to the lake after work for distance training, your first ever dip or a summery sunset social swim. We have made some wonderful friendships open water swimming, one of which was meeting Raf Oya. This month we present to you our 4th account of Swimming + Me. It’s a great intro to our friend Raf and an insight to his fabulous relationship with swimming. Thank you Raf! I FOUND T

The lakes are all open. British Summertime is here. No more excuses not to strip and dip! Whether you are in training for an open water swim event, or want to experience the expansive freedom of wild swimming...then wrestle an hour free to join us on a Friday night. You can soak up a TOP hours swim coaching and have some watery fun with like minded dippers all for eight quid. Before you rush to sniff out your budgie smugglers, sit back and have your swimming appetite whet by

I LIKE THE RHYTHMIC NATURE OF SWIMMING. In February we published the first account of Swimming + Me by Mark Gabriel. This month our good friend, Emily Campbell, steps into the spotlight to tell us all about her relationship with swimming. I HAVE ONE OF THOSE INCREDIBLY ANNOYING ATTITUDES OF 'OF COURSE I CAN DO THAT.' I am the great granddaughter of a long line of East Coast Lifeboat men. Men who were fishermen during the day, making a living from being on water, and lifeboat

Thames at Sonning Bridge at dawn. THE WATER CALLS ME CONSTANTLY. So. Starting from today, through the medium of the LOOP, we shall chronicle the reflections of a handful of swimmers. These are the extended family of The Swim Shed; ordinary people who have an extraordinary connection with water. Mark has been a friend of ours for over 25 years. Swimming is a way of life to him. I cannot remember a time when swimming has not been a part of my life. It has run down the family fr

So summer is here (yay, I've had my first Pimms already) and next weekend we have the longest day of the year. Many of you are probably sat in traffic or at office desks thinking 'nope, this is the longest day everrrrr'?! Or for those of you competing in a long course triathlon throughout June, July August...that will certainly feel like your longest day! Heaps of sporting events taking place this summer - it's a challenge keeping track with you all. Close to home...last week

…so long in fact that I am yet to say Happy New Year to you all! A month ago today I took the photo above just before our Scottish Christmas Day dip! Here we are a month on, 25th January, continuing with the Scottish vibe…Burns Night! So is 2015 all about the swim for you? Or is it a mix of swim..bike…run? Huge numbers of you are taking the plunge for some epic open water swims this year. Three-ish months to go ’til most lakes are open to the public, that said I know there ar

By far one of the best inventions in my daily life is the dishwasher. Yep. I had to put up a real case, many moons ago, to persuade Mr. Lewis of the positive impact it would have in our lives. Apart from the obvious ‘neither of us having to wash up’ I went as far as suggesting (as the icing on the cake) that we could do more enjoyable and pleasurable things (!!) with the time that we were freeing up! Sold. Mr. Lewis regularly reminds me that I am behind with my payments (huh)