Try Something New! Open Water Swimming in Lincolnshire.
Open water swimming is one of the fastest-growing UK participant sports with people of all ages enjoying the activity. It refers to swimming in open outdoor bodies of water, including lakes, rivers, reservoirs, and the sea. Many people find it is wonderful for their mental well-being as well as keeping them physically fit.
Take a look below at some venues where you can have a go at open water swimming in Lincolnshire, and some links to local clubs and groups. We’ve also put a link to some important safety advice below.
Why is it good for you?
In these short podcasts, Dr Michael Mosley explores the benefits of swimming and cold water swimming for our physical and mental health; from reducing inflammation to boosting your mood and giving you more energy.
Where to swim
Activities Away, North Hykeham
Swim outdoors in a lake created on the site of an old gravel pit that is a 1/4 mile long. The lake has 800 m and 200 m buoyed circuits with ‘get out’ points every 200 m around the main circuit.
Wetsuit hire is available as well as on-site professional coaching, a cafe for a well-deserved hot drink and snack post-swim.
The swim club has a winter and summer season, and you’ll need to sign up as a member to book sessions. Activities away welcome people to book appointments to come and see the venue before signing up.
Ocean Walker Academy, East Lindsay
Built on the edge of the Lincolnshire Wolds, Ocean Walker Academy offers open water swimming in a 7-acre, purpose-built lake, with a shallow beginners’ area for novice swimmers to enjoy and a deeper area for the more experienced.
The venue offers taster sessions which are perfect for those without open water swimming experience, or anyone wanting a refresher if they haven’t had a go for a while.
Tallington Lakes, South Kesteven
This water activities centre in South Kesteven offers open water swimming on Sunday mornings. The lake has 205 acres of clean spring-fed water, and it also offers a variety of water sports including water skiing, wakeboarding, canoeing and paddle boarding.
Hansworth Country Park, Potterhansworth, Lincoln
Enjoy wild swimming in the beautiful surrounding of Hansworth Country Park.
Blue Flag Beaches; Skegness, Mablethorpe & Sutton-on-Sea
The Blue Flag beach status is awarded to beaches that are clean, safe, meet the highest environmental standards, and meet international bathing water quality standards.
Three beaches in Lincolnshire currently hold Blue Flag status:
Discover more Blue Flag beaches and find out more.
Bathing Water Beaches
In addition to Blue Flag Beaches, there are bathing water quality beaches along the East Lindsey coast. There are seven bathing water quality beaches which are; Mablethorpe, Sutton-on-Sea, Mogg’s Eye, Anderby, Chapel St Leonards, Ingoldmells South and Skegness. Each has been rated as ‘Excellent’ year on year.
These beaches, designated as bathing waters, are monitored by the Environment Agency to stricter water quality standards to protect swimmers, and they are monitored throughout the bathing season. The bathing season runs from May to September each year.
You can find beaches and check the latest status for each beach at Swimfo (Environment Agency).
Clubs and Groups
Tattershall Open Water Swimmers are an informal, friendly and experienced group of like-minded people who enjoy swimming in an open water environment at all times throughout the year. Find out more about them and get in touch via their Facebook page.
Lincolnshire Outdoor Swimming Tribe (LOST) is an online group for outdoor swimmers for Lincolnshire (and surrounding areas) and of any ability. Join the group for advice and to share experiences and achievements. Visit the Facebook group page.
Boston Bluetits is a community group run, who are part of the worldwide Bluetits Chill Swimmers Social Swim Community. Their facebook group offers multiple swims daily, including moon swims, family swims, inflatable swims, and sea swims throughout the year. Facebook group page
The group won the Active Club award at the LIncolnshire Sport & Physical Activity Awards 2024. Hear from group founders Fran Mills and Nicola Housam about the ethos of the group and why they enjoy the challenge of open water swimming so much!
Lincolnshire ASA
Find out more about Lincolnshire Amateur Swimming Association on their website Open Water – Lincs ASA (lincolnshirecountyasa.org)
Jubilee Park Lido
Not ready to take the plunge? If you’re not quite ready to brave swimming in open water, why not try swimming at Jubilee Park Lido. This heated Lido, is open from Easter to September, with open sessions, and aqua fit classes. They also run a cold water swimming week later in the year.
Find out More
Read more about open water swimming on Swim England’s website
Safety Advice
It’s important to be safe and aware of the risks of open water swimming, particularly if you are not swimming somewhere with a lifeguard. You should be a confident swimmer to have a go at open water swimming. If you are new to it, swimming with a club or at a venue such as the ones listed above, are the safest ways to get started.
Take a look at this Safety Advice from Swim England
How To Stay Safe In Open Water | Swim England Open Water (swimming.org)