Outdoor Swimming Society

March for Clean Water! Sunday 3rd November, Albert Embankment, join some of The Outdoor Swimming Society 🏊🏽‍♀️🏊🏻‍♂️🏊🏻‍♀️ team and swimmers from all over. We’ll be gathering between lampposts I-J from 10.30 and have a bunch of placards to share. Wear blue! Being a vial of your river and see you there? Comment and Share please.

New issue of elsewhere Journal out now! Featuring this stunning image on the cover from . Thank you Laura.

In this months issue:

- Elsewhere co-editor speaks to two living legends of the English Channel about how to survive the world’s most iconic start line.

- Jack Pearson talks us through a Swimpacking 101 and discusses how swimpacking could be the perfect sport for slow and sustainable adventures.

- Finally here, OSS review on Earplugs. Product design expert Chris Johnson puts 6 of the best products to the test

- A swimmers Almanac from and featuring birds and their journey as the seasons change.

- Our ‘inspiring us’ story this month is on the in London happening on the 3rd of November in London.

- ‘How to be an Autumn swimmer’ a long read on how to swim through autumn and immerse yourself in the changing light and magic of change.

Plus more!

Head to the link in our bio + stories to see the full issue.

If you aren’t already signed up to our free monthly journal then what are you waiting for? Have each issue delivered direct to your inbox on the first Saturday of every month and join the other 35 thousand readers who do!

Thank you to all contributors and to our editorial team who put this together each month. Including: editors and , creative director and production editor

Thank you to for their continued support in helping to make this journal possible!

A refreshing dip inside the National Park.

Two swimmers in conversation as they head into the sea at Clifton.

Best Swim in the World?

OSS Founder and Creative Producer think they may have found it.

In July some members of The OSS Team travelled deep into the Finnish wilderness to swim 24km through the Oulanka National Park.

“I think this might be the best swim in the world” said Kate to swim buddy Cameron as they spilled themselves out on to a beach with an aid station flanked by reindeer.

The is like no other. A 24km & 12km swim through one of Finlands most beautiful national parks. A truly unforgettable experience.

We teamed the swim with exploring the Finnish landscape, wildlife and waters, foraging for berries and having traditional smoke saunas at midnight.

Kate and Cameron put together a feature from the 2024, which came out in the September issue of elsewhere. You can read more via link in our stories and bio.

As of today, tickets are now OPEN for the 2025. We have a feeling that registration will fill up FAST!

Are you going in 2025? We will see you there!

Picture 1 and 2: Simo Vilhunen

Autumnal colours below the surface.

Photo by . Swimmer .

The calm before the storm.

Photo by featuring .garside.

Sea, sun and by her own account lots of fun.

Friends enjoy a sunrise swim .

September issue of elsewhere Journal out now!!!
What a cover! Image from the sublime .tyler.

This months issue is full of insight and inspiration, and perhaps the best swim in the world?

Inside the September issue:

- The Best Swim in the World? and head to Finland to swim the 24km through the Oulanka National Park. Read the full feature to see why they think it could be the best swim in the world.

- Our second feature Q***r Connections from where George goes back in time to discover what this once-loved spot on the River Cherwell reveals about the history of river swimming.

- we have an almanac featuring swallows and chironomids.
- an ‘inspiring us’ looking at butterfly and the butterfly swim from
- A feature on ‘How To Sight’ whilst swimming.
- Ben Lane talks us through how to train for a Swim Tour

+ more!

Head to link in our bio to find the latest issue. And make sure to sign up ahead of the next one to get the next issue delivered directly into your inbox on the first Saturday of every month.

Thank you to our elsewhere editorial team. Co-editors and , creative director production editor and the team of volunteer writers and creatives that help to make the issue what it is.

Thank you to for their continued support in making elsewhere happen.

See you on the next one!

A dreamy spot for a dive tower in Walasee.

Swimming the length of the deepest lake in England.

In June 2024, some of The OSS Team met up for an adventure in the Lake District to swim the length of Wastwater - England’s deepest lake.

elsewhere journal co-editor Patrick Naylor () wrote about the swim for the August issue, to read the full feature ‘The New Romantics’ head to the link in our stories/bio.

Thank you for helping to make this adventure story possible, and for keeping us dry and warm. ❤️

Pictures from elsewhere co-editor .
Pictures 3 and 10 from OSS contributor .

If you aren’t signed up to elsewhere yet, please join us! We send our free monthly magazine direct to your inbox on the first Saturday of every month, be a part of the 35 thousand other readers and sign up today!

Waterways have shaped our great cities’ histories, but what about the future?

Swimmable Cities is a new global partnership of experts determined to make sure everyone can enjoy the right to swim. In July launched its new charter - 10 principles which will empower experts in design, policy development, public health and much more, to share ideas, resources and expertise.

The OSS is proud to be on of the first signatories for this new charter.

In the August issue of elsewhere Journal, and tell us more about how and what people are doing to make swimmable cities happen. To read the full feature please head to the link in our stories/bio.

📸 - Tomek Baginksi

Remote mountain lakes and a waterfall pool provide swimming spots in this swim walk in North Wales.

In this photo essay for the July issue of elsewhere, Photographer and OSS Contributor takes us through Eryri’s ‘lake district’ with swim walk routes out of book ‘Wild Swimming Walks Eryri/Snowdonia’.

‘There is always somewhere new to discover; that’s part of the joy of wild swimming’

See the full story on our website now, head to the link in our bio or stories.

The august issue of elsewhere comes out tomorrow? Are you subscribed? Join the 35 thousand other readers and sign up, it’s free! Delivered direct to your inbox every month.

How’s this for dream swimming? Last Friday some of team swam the first 8km of the in Finland during a pre event recce. After bellyaching about training for the 12km two of us upgraded to the 24km straight away: can you blame us??! The water was so pure, warm and swooshed us along past boreal forest and alluvial beaches. Heaven!! We particularly loved the constant attention to swimming in pairs and finding the way, with dippers on every rapid and reindeers on the beaches… possibly the best swim event in the world? You can read all about it in September’s elsewhere (free, sign up link in bio).





📸: OSS Creative Producer

Exiting a holy well in Wales.

OUT NOW - Our July issue of elsewhere Journal.

Featuring this beautiful cover image from in the Lake District.

This month’s issue gives you the heads up for summer swim plans and prep with:

- A review of books this summer from elsewhere Co-Editor
- A photoessay from where we follow her on a swim walk route taken from the new ‘Wild Swimming Walks Eryri Snowdonia’ by
- Inspiration from who became the first South American to complete the Oceans Seven marathon swim challenge.
- A swimmers guide to snorkelling
- Top Tops for Safe Summer Swimming
+ more!

and lastly, a thank you and farewell to editor who leaves us after 6 incredible and inspiring years with The OSS. You will be missed Beth.

Thank you to our editorial team for putting elsewhere together each month: New Co-Editors , production editor , creative director and the now departed Beth, who’s last issue with us as editor was July.

Thank you to for their continued support in helping to make elsewhere possible!

Join the other 35 thousand readers and Subscribe to elsewhere, our free monthly journal via the link in our bio! We release a new issue on the first Saturday of every month and if subscribed, will land directly in your inbox!