For someone that has never tried wild swimming before, it may not sound appealing. This practice, though, has nothing to do with stepping outside and exercising for any reason, and has everything to do with submerging body in water that has been there for ages and will continue to be there long after. The evolution of swimming in wild water takes away the sterile, barely real feeling of swimming in pool. Swimming outdoors with the passage of time and all of nature’s wonders is the for real thing.
As for outdoor swimming, the wild swimming community in Europe is huge. From the pebble-filled tranquil blue waters of the Alps to warm Mediterranean coves with calmed waves and swimming Scottish lochs, each swimming experience in the outdoors is breath taking and unique.
Italian Lakes: Grace and Convenience
Lakes Orta, Iseo, and Ledro may not be as popular as Lake Como, but they provide wonderful swims without the overbearing crowds. Each northern Italian lake is deap in the mountains, is fed by flowing alpine streams and holds the perfect temperature range for swimming without being too hot nor too chilly.
Of the major Italian Lakes, Orta is the most westerly. It’s also the most quiet and charming. It’s also the most clear. When swimming, you can see down for at least 15 meters all the way to the sandy, moving weeds. It’s also the most clear. The island of San Giulio is perfectly situated in the center. It’s only a short swim from the tiny village of Orta San Giulio. It’s an absolutely moving experience, swimming in such depth and clarity. And the views are hard to forget.
The Italian Lakes have excellent facilities and infrastructure and it is that that makes the Lakes even more appealing. There is no hiking and scrambling to get to the quirky access points. There are waterfront villages and lidos that you can swim from and walk straight from your hotel to the water. While the experience is swimming the logistics are seamless.
Soča River Slovenia: Quintessential Liquid Swimming Pool
In the NW section of Slovenia the Soča River is famous for its insane turquoise waters. While the color is the high limestone content and glacial minerals it’s not an artificial swimming pool. It does however create a hallucinogenic effect on sunny days where the bottom is visible through the glassy water. The River has formed swimming holes through the limestone and wear and tear of water through glacial polished canyons. It’s a really special spot.
The swimming is not like a pool or a lake. There are swimming. There is a current there. While the current is not dangerous you can feel it and adds an invigorating quality to the swim as the water is moving. The water comes from an underground glacial maintain and is a clean and cold refreshing more than hostile. It really adds to the experience and is a cleansing feeling as you swim.
There are some access issues along the length of the river. Near Kobarid and Tolmin, there are some marked paths leading to some of the more popular swimming areas. The Great Soča Gorge is a bit of a hike but it has a great reward of swimming between dramatic vertical rock walls. Further upstream, the area is more suited for water activities and watching kayakers, as the water is cold and fast. However, there are some quartz pools that are calm.
Scottish Highlands: The Cold Truth
Lochs and rivers in Scotland can be fun to swim in, but you’ve got to be honest about the water. It is cold. Actually, it is more than cold. It is freezing. Especially in the summer when it is rarely over 15°C. In winter, there aren’t many swims as the temperature is slightly dangerous, and wetsuits are required. \
The swimming is fun when you get used to it, and lochs are great to swim in. The loch in the Cairngorms, Loch Morlich, is surrounded by a lovely forest with a great view and is extremely peaceful. It is coloured a rich amber by the peat, and there is normally very few people there.
The wild swimming opportunities already mentioned include river swimming in Scotland. The swimming in the river Findhorn is unique because the erosion through the rocks has created breathtaking pools that are rocky and deep. The current makes the swimming even more thrilling and one must assess the safety of the pools before swimming. It is important to not swim in the pools by yourself. On the rare warm Scots days, one can find a deep pool to swim in, jump from a rocky ledge to get in the moving current, and enjoy the warm sunshine.
While swimming in Scotland, the weather which is usually cold can change quickly. Those cold waters can also get dangerous fast and swimming may not be an option in some remote areas. However, if proper precautions are taken by swimming with a group, wearing wetsuits, and swimming in reasonable areas, the swimming can be a worthy and manageable adventure.
Greek Islands Warm Water Hidden Coves
Not every wild swimming adventure has to be cold and difficult, The Greek islands are the perfect place to swim in warm, clear waters and lots of sunshine. It also has hundreds of perfect natural and civilized locations to swim in.
The southern islands of Corfu, Paxos, and Antipaxos perfectly illustrate this. Their coastlines are all cliffside, with caves and small pebble beaches that can only be accessed by boat. The Ionian Water is a saturated blue; a colour that seems impossible but is simply a reflection of the white limestone that lies below the surface. Here, summer swimming is an ideal 25 °C, with 20 metres of visibility, allowing for several hours in the water, as one does not become cold.
The location of the swim is what makes it “wild” as opposed to just a swimming beach. The best swimming spots that are not beaches are all rock platforms, as well as caves, where one can swim into shadowed pockets and emerge into pools that are encircled by cliffs. Here, it’s all about the swim, as preparation for lounging on the sand is not in the blue-printed ideal.
The Ionian islands, as well as the Aegean, provide the best swimming conditions. The water is warmer and there are gin calmer seas. Here, in Kefalonia island, one can swim in the Melissani cave; a sunlit cave where a shaft of light pours down onto the water.
Kefalonia is generally more touristy, swimming in the sunlit cave is truly one of a kind, which is well worth braving the crowds.
Swimming in the Alpine Lakes of Austria
In Austria, the Alpine swimming lakes are in a category all their own, as it offers the opportunity for mountain swimming, where the stunning views hold as much value as the water you’re swimming in. Encircled by snow-capped peaks, these glacial lakes are crystal clear, fed by the melted snow and underground springs.
Lake Hallstatt attracts many day-trippers to the village for a quick photo snap. However, it is worth the swim in the morning before the tourist mobilization to appreciate the allure of the area. The mountains rise abruptly from the water, the bottom of the lake is visible even at great depths, and the surroundings are stunningly still.
Also great for swimming (although the water remains cold) are the smaller lakes of Altausseer See and Gosausee, where there is less tourist traffic. Unsprung jetties are often available for access to the water, allowing for easy swimming from the wooden piers, where the temperature is around 18-22°C. Swimming without wetsuits is manageable for experienced swimmers.