After a third successful year playing host to Scotland’s largest open water swimming event, the Great Scottish Swim, Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park has revealed that participation in open water swimming in its 22 lochs is at an all-time high.
Over the last 10 years events have grown in size and number at Scotland’s first National Park: from a couple of locally organised gatherings with around 30 participants to attracting major events like the Great Scottish Swim, which this year had a record 2,600 participants. Dozens of events now take place annually including the Scottish Open Water Championships at Loch Venachar, Water Beastie, Lubnaig-End to End and the forthcoming Loch Ard Swim Festival and Loch Lomond Inch by Inch. The sport is said to be one of the fastest growing in Europe and its inclusion at the 2008 Beijing Olympics is thought to have helped drive membership of groups such as the UK wide Outdoor Swimming Society which has gone from 300 members in 2006 to 23,000 in 2015.
Gordon Watson, chief executive at Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park, said: “It’s been fantastic to see the growth in open water swimming, with people from around the globe travelling here to compete. We have seen a real increase in numbers taking part in outdoor swimming events in the area, which is great news for the National Park bringing a welcome boost to the local economy. We are thrilled that Loch Lomond has been selected to host the open water swimming element of the inaugural European Championships in 2018.
“Open water swimming is one of the many ways to get out and get active in the National Park. There is no better and more accessible setting to make the most of the great outdoors and we are committed to investing in facilities to make a visit to Loch Lomond & The Trossachs even better. Working with partner organisations, we are proud to have invested in new access routes to help people get out and explore this very special part of Scotland.”
Great Swim Project Manager, Alex Jackson, said: “It’s great to see the appetite for open water swimming increasing, and also the trend towards taking on longer, more challenging swims shows no sign of slowing down - over 250 people entered the 5k "half marathon" challenge at Saturday’s Great Scottish Swim.
“Since the Great Scottish Swim moved to Loch Lomond three years ago the number of people taking part annually has increased from 1900 to 2600. The opportunity to swim in such an iconic location continues to resonate with our swimmers not just in Scotland, but around the UK, and we hope to welcome even more to the event in 2016. Swimming is a fantastic way to keep fit and we appreciate the work that Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park are doing to encourage people of all ages to safely take to the water.”
Forbes Dunlop, chief executive of Scottish Swimming said: “Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park is one of the great places in Scotland where people can experience open water swimming in a wonderful natural setting; we saw that a few weeks ago when our National Championships and Mile Challenge events were held at Loch Venacher. We have seen the sport growing in both popularity and stature both at performance level and mass participation events.
"As such, through our Swim Social platform we have been providing opportunities for individuals to come and try open water swimming. These session are coach led and are held in a safe, supportive and fun environment. Feedback suggests that many people have used these opportunities ahead of an open water swim to develop their skills.”
The National Park has a huge range of outdoor recreation activities on offer. More than 450 miles of pathways have been opened up following extensive work to create new cycle routes, paths and bridges. Due to popular demand, the waterbus service has been extended with further routes across Loch Lomond and linking to Loch Katrine.
This major development work by the National Park Authority and its partners is part of its £8.7m Outdoor Recreation Plan which supports 32 different outdoor activities including kayaking, canoeing, fishing, horse riding, mountain biking and walking. The five-year partnership plan (2013-2017) includes 69 individual projects which range from long distance path development and repairing eroded mountain paths, to new horse riding routes and a community outdoor and water sports hub.
If you are thinking about trying open water swimming for the first time, the National Park has a list of local clubs and swimming tips on their website www.lochlomond-trossachs.org
Open water swimming tips:
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Wear a brightly coloured swim cap and, if possible, use a swim safety device - these are brightly coloured inflatable bags which you can tow behind you whilst swimming.
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Aim to swim with another person
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Where possible, use an escort canoe/kayak which can also display the alpha flag- international sign of diver in the water.
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Always swim within your own capabilities and be aware of the effects of cold water.
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Check weather conditions before heading out, a large swell can quickly develop when wind directions change.
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Blue green algae can be a problem during the warmer months - the relevant Local Authority should be the first port of call for advice if you spot any algae, and the National Park visitor centres and SEPA can also be contacted.