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Open Water Swimming

Our Online Booking System is now available – Please click here to book

Lenches Lakes – Winter Swimming 2021 – 2022

The Lenches Lakes Winter open water swimming is open to all swimmers. Our regular swimmers comprise of a mixture of recreational swimmers enjoying the benefits of cold water swimming/immersion and swimmers practising for events such as Ice Swims, triathlons, river and sea swims. Our minimum requirement is that a swimmer should be able to swim 50m, and be happy in water out of their depth. Wet suited and none wet suited swimmers are welcome throughout the Winter

Each session has a full safety team both Land and Water based which enables swimmers a choice of circuits . The Winter circuits comprise of  200m, 100m and 50 m options. Apres swim includes the availability of a warm room to reheat, hot beverages, cakes and breakfast sandwiches .

The numbers of swimmers in each session are restricted to 30 maximum, allowing each the space  to swim how they wish without pressure, intimidation, and  judgement. . Cold Water Swimming affects  our bodies in many ways, we feel it is extremely valuable to all swimmers to be aware and fully understand the physiological responses your body undergoes whilst immersed in cold water. In addition be aware of the practise they can employ before, during and after their swim. Hence, all swimmers are required to attend a Winter Swimming Information Session, £35, 2 hours duration, one hour theory followed by a practical swim reinforcing the theory section.

The practical is optional although if not participating you are required to watch.  Those swimmers who attended the Winter Swimming Information session last year are required to complete an online revision certificate.

Advance online booking is essential and all swimmers are required  to complete the online Swimmers Responsibility Statement 2021– 22  before your first swim. This form only needs to be completed once.

Online Bookings and Payment in advance only – . Please do not arrive on site without pre booking and paying, there is no facility for refunds for missed or late arrivals .

Swim Sessions are:-

• Monday morning 10.30- 11.30
• Thursday mornings 10.30- 11.30 and 12 – 13.00
• Saturday 9 -10.00, and 10.30 – 11.30
• The viability of these sessions will be revised at the beginning of November 2021 and maybe adjusted.

Swimmers may book hourly £10  or 30 minute slots £8.50

Please be aware that although you may be in the water for a shorter time you will be on site for a longer time to allow for winter changing and reheating .

Occasional Guests

We welcome guests and realise the practicality of attending a Winter Swimming Information Session  prior to their visit is difficult. We ask all guests to be experienced open water swimmers who have been swimming regularly in water temperatures that are lakes are experiencing when you plan to bring them.  It may be useful for them to visit our Cold Water Swimming Revision Certificate and complete the quiz prior to their swim. 

Car Parking

Winter car parking is on a hard standing car park at end of tarmac drive.

Bikes – we do not have racks, we have trees! Please bring security chain with you.

Changing

Changing on lakeside, tented changing area or in warm room (limited space). 

We do not have separate changing areas for male and female

Please bear in mind we do not have lockers, please do not bring valuable items, or use a tow float with dry bag incorporated for phones/keys/wallets, or lock valuables in car.

Toilets – are available

Showers are not recommended immediately after a Winter Swim.

Swimmers

All swimmers must wear a bright hat and  Tow Float .

Swimmers will each receive a Lenches Lakes Swimmers Card with relevant safety details, this c will be required each swim to enable Lenches Lakes maintain good safety tracking whilst in the lake.

Please be aware of Covid -19 Symptoms; do not come on site if you or a member of your household are displaying any symptoms.

• a high temperature – you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not necessarily need to take your temperature)
• a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than your norm, if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual
• a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste – this means you’ve noticed you cannot smell or taste anything, or things smell or taste different to normal

Car Parking

• each car to park alongside a post which is a minimum of 2m away from another car.
• Bikes – lakeside plenty of trees to lean against
• All changing to be carried out by /in car

Pre / Post Swim

ADVICE	REASON
Pre Swim Cover open wounds Do not swim if feeling unwell	To prevent microbial access to the body If the immune system is suppressed by illness you are more susceptible to infection
Advised not to swim wearing contact lenses	Risk in ANY water including tap water of Acanthamoeba Keratitis
Post Swim Wash hands before eating or drinking (or use sterilising wipes/gels)	To reduce the risk of ingesting pathogenic microbes
Shower in fresh water at the earliest opportunity	To remove all microbes, many of which are able to survive on the skin surface for long periods
Rinse and wash all kit in fresh water before drying thoroughly – including wetsuit, goggles, swimming costume	To remove all microbes and potentially prevent toxin concentration in/on the item that can cause skin irritations and eye infections
Seek medical advice if you feel ill or develop symptoms including rashes for up to 3 weeks following your swim – highlighting that you have been swimming in open water (and where)	It can take up to 3 weeks for the symptoms of Weil’s Disease to develop.
Sharing information can help identify the source and nature of the problem and the most effective treatment. It can also help identify problems with particular bodies of water

Junior Policy

Swimmers under 18 years of age

Lenches Lakes supports the provision of open water swimming opportunities for children who wish to participate from the age they are confident and competent swimmers.

 Under 12 years

12 – 16 years

Participation is subject to:

• Parent/legal guardian permission, Swimmer Responsibility Registration document signed and completed by parent/guardian
• A competency test1 by Session Leader on duty.
• The swimmer being accompanied on site by a responsible adult aged 18 or over

16 – 18 years

Participation is subject to:

• Parent/legal guardian permission, Swimmer Responsibility Registration document signed and completed by parent/guardian
• A competency test1 by Session Leader on duty.

All Juniors are required to;          

Lifeguards or Land Based safety team will politely ask weak swimmers to leave the session or restrict swimmer to acclimatisation area if swimmer safety is comprised.

Disability Swimming

The course design will not require change for swimmers with walking difficulties. Access via regular entry