What Are Swim Hikes?

Swim hikes are quickly increasing in popularity and appear to be an upcoming trend in outdoor activities. The influx of people taking up hiking and wild swimming in the last few years means invariably it was only a matter of time for swim hikes to start becoming popular amongst outdoor enthusiasts. So what are swim hikes? Where is best to do them? What do you need to get started? And you how do you start this amazing hobby? Hopefully this post will unravel it all a bit for you.

How I GOT Into Swim Hikes

I started open water and wild swimming a few years ago and it quickly became a passion of mine. Whilst I enjoyed long distance swimming, and just get into the water locally, I developed a constant craving for trying out new swim spots. Often this lead me traveling hundreds of miles just to experience new lakes, rivers or tarns.

I’ve always been a lover of the great outdoors and enjoyed long walks, but with my increased wanderlust and traveling I started getting into hiking too. The real love affair started when I visited, hiked to, and swam in my first waterfall in February, and my passion for swim hikes was born. I became obsessed with looking at amazing swim spots, waterfalls, fairy pools and hidden gems, and wanted to make it my mission to go and find them.

So What Are Swim Hikes?

Swim hikes also known as swim hiking, swim walks or treks are a non competitive activity that combines hiking with wild swimming in an open body of water, whether that be the sea, lake, river or waterfall. Often combining picturesque hikes with finding less populated swim spots.

The main difference between a hike with an opportunistic dip along the way is that the swimming/dipping opportunity is the main objective of the hike. Summits aren’t always reached, times aren’t important and the hiking objective is to get to or sometimes discover the elusive swim or dipping spots.

Swim hikes can also mean that the swim is part of the journey, for instance swimming across a tarn or lake carrying your dry kit in a dry bag whilst you swim, and then carrying on your hike once dressed at the other side

So Why Would You Want To Go On A Swim Hike?

Swim hikes are a great way of adding an extra element of adventure to a normal hike or trail run. Even more so when the water is icy cold, or you discover a secret swim spot. If you’re already a lover of hiking, then you will no doubt already appreciate what it’s like to feel like you are in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by stunning scenery. Now imagine seeing that from a different perspective? As far as I’m concerned, there is nothing quite like being surrounded by mountains and seeing it from the water’s surface whilst embracing the feeling of cold water against your skin.

Generally speaking, swim hikes can take you off the beaten track a little bit. So it means you can access some more remote and lesser known swim spots. On the whole this means that they are less populated and have not been damaged by an influx of tourists. Alas occasionally these hidden gems locations get shared too much, and even secret swim spots can get spoiled by a few that don’t respect them. Depending on how adventurous you want to be on your swim hikes, it also offers the opportunity to discover unknown spots which is extremely gratifying, and possibly why swim hikes are so incredibly addictive.

The best reason however is that you get to experience the escapism and freedom that hiking brings, spectacular scenery that feeds the soul, a sense of achievement when you find a secret swim spot, the joy that wild swimming brings and the exhilaration of cold water swimming. There really is no feeling like it!

Where Can You Go Swim Hiking In The Uk?

You can literally go on a swim hike anywhere. Anywhere where you can plan a walk or hike and coincide it with passing a swimable open body of water.

However if mountainous scenery, waterfalls and fairy pools are your aim, then the obvious places in England are the Lake District, Yorkshire Dales and the Peak District. In Wales, Snowdonia and Brecon Beacons national parks offer incredible opportunity.

I have yet to explore Northern Ireland and Scotland, but I imagine there are some pretty incredible places to visit there too.

What you need to go On Swim Hikes

The beauty is you don’t really need any specialist equipment or clothing (unless you want to) to turn your hikes into a swim hikes.

I cover this in more detail, along with my personal recommendations in another post about essential kit for swim hikes. However in a nutshell, in addition to your normal hiking gear you will obviously need swim wear and something to dry yourself on. Swim socks or shoes are also advisable. Often you will have to do a bit of scrambling to get to some of these swim spots, and as all hikers know it’s important to protect your feet.

It’s also a great idea to pack a dry bag. Either a small one to carry valuables with you, or a large one to carry kit if you plan on your swim to be part of the journey.

How To Start Going On Swim Hikes

There is literally nothing stopping you! If you are a keen hiker, then navigating a route to incorporate a swim or dip will be no problem.

If wild swimming is new to you, then there are a ton of resources on line to learn about what is swimmable and what is not. Start with common well known swim spots that are known to be safe, before going off piste so to speak. Find your swim spots or spots, and plan your hiking route around them.

If you are planning to do this in the Winter, in deep quarries or far up North where the water remains cold for most of the year- educate yourself about cold water swimming. I do not want to scare monger (as I’m a massive advocate of cold water swimming), but cold water shock and after drop is not something you want to experience half way up a mountain (if at all).

If you’re a bit anxious about it then perhaps join an organised swim hike (there are a few companies in the lakes that I’ve seen, and most likely more elsewhere). I personally joined some adventure groups, which means I have had the privilege of meeting some competent mountaineers that I now call close friends. I’m confident with wild and cold water swimming in a variety of locations, but rubbish at navigating. Going with friends that have different skill sets has given me the confidence to be more adventurous, and allowed me to explore places that I never would have had the courage to do on my own.

My Advice

If swim hikes is something you want to do, then just do it! There really is no other outdoor activity that I have found which brings me so much joy and happiness.

If you want to see all my swim hike adventures, then make sure you follow me on Instagram and my other social media channels.

Kerry x