Swimming holidays

Dreams of escape: island adventures in the Lake District

The Lake District is rightly famed for its breathtaking waters, but its numerous small islands are also havens just waiting to be explored

Robert Twigger

01, Jan, 2023 @11:00 AM

Far and away my best Christmas trip: a cottage on the Pembrokeshire coast

Going away for the festivities can raise issues from sleeping to catering to whether Santa will still find you. But get it right and it can be a yuletide miracle

Kevin Rushby

24, Dec, 2022 @8:00 AM

Fancy a festive dip? The best outdoor Christmas swims in the UK

Start a new seasonal tradition by plunging into icy British waters – or cheering on those who do. Here are the best spots

Kate Rew

21, Dec, 2022 @7:00 AM

Waterfall weekender: my wild swimming adventure in the Brecon Beacons

A walk amid cinematic landscapes to five south Wales waterfalls – and a cosy pub – proves the perfect substitute for a holiday abroad

Neelam Tailor

15, Nov, 2022 @7:00 AM

‘Today is a magic moment’: Bath’s 207-year-old lido reopens after four decades of neglect

Opened in Jane Austen’s lifetime and recently saved from demolition, Cleveland Pools will welcome swimmers for a short autumn season before making a big splash next spring

Rhiannon Batten

30, Sep, 2022 @6:00 AM

10 of the best UK beaches for swimming

Whether you want to swim long distances safely, or just bob about in a beautiful spot, there is a bay or cove to suit

Ella Foote

25, Jul, 2022 @10:00 AM

‘Truly invigorating’: readers’ favourite lidos in the UK

Whether they swim by moonlight, or the midday sun, to disco beats or the sounds of the ocean – our tipsters take the plunge at some of the UK’s best outdoor pools

Guardian readers

21, Jul, 2022 @10:00 AM

Basque country, Brittany and Jura: three epic camping road trips across France

From the cliff-top roads of the Pyrenees to the ‘almost islands’ of western France and the waterfalls and wild meadows of Jura, author Martin Dorey picks three favourite slow road adventures from his France guide

Martin Dorey

14, Jul, 2022 @6:00 AM

Wild swimming with a backpack? Welcome to cross country swimming

With the help of some innovative kit, these adventurers can easily negotiate both land and waterways

Phoebe Smith

14, Jun, 2022 @6:00 AM

The best Christmas, Boxing Day and New Year swims around the UK

Break away from the TV and Quality Street with one of these organised dips – either to join hardy participants in the water, or just to cheer them on

Nazia Parveen

20, Dec, 2021 @7:00 AM

In Ireland, lockdown has made us fall in love with the sea

One of the few things Covid did not shut in Ireland was the sea, and from swimming to foraging, it has created a new appreciation of the water

Rory Carroll

31, Aug, 2021 @10:00 AM

I swam with seals and puffins off the south-west coast of Wales

Our writer has ‘one of the finest wildlife watching experiences ever’ with the playful sea creatures around Pembrokeshire’s rocky islets