I’m not sure what entirely came to my mind when Slovenia has been mentioned in the past. Melania Trump? Luka Dončić? Confusion with Slovakia? That’s now a thing of the past. After reading Martin Strel’s account of swimming up the Amazon I started making a connection between Slovenia and swimming and it’s a very good…
Author: otleyhaynes
A little oasis hanging by a thread? Highley Outdoor Swimming Pool
Inspired by the publication of The Outdoor Swimming Guide (reviewed in research and literature), I searched on a misty, end-of-summer morning for the Highley Outdoor Swimming Pool in the West Midlands. Like so many UK swimming pools, budget constraints were immediately apparent when I experienced difficulties booking online via the Halo Leisure website. Not to…
Observations from a small island
So, while I don’t want the website to be given over to my holiday snaps plus flying as a substantial part of Europe is burning in the summer is not the best idea, I did go to Menorca with swimming in mind. It is a fantastic place to swim. OK, so it might be seen…
Chats with swimmers extraordinaire
In a new feature, I’ll be chatting to swimmers who have a unique perspective and commitment to swimming. The first on the website is with Kate Gillwood who not only writes beautifully about her aquatic adventures, but who is also a swimming inspiration. These chats can be found on the ‘Chats, Stories and Memories’ page…
Swimming in the Dyfi
Much has been written about the state of Britain’s rivers and seas. Campaigners such as Surfers Against Sewage and Fergal Sharkey, among many others, have applied constant pressure on privatised water companies who value profit over conservation. On a recent trip to Wales we were given some local knowledge about a great swimming spot on…
Rediscovering a local gem: Ilkley Lido
Although it’s only a few miles down the road, I had been avoiding Ilkley Lido for a few years. I had the impression that it wasn’t particularly suited to lap swimming and was quite crowded. The pandemic also meant that the pool was closed for a substantial period. This year has been different and I…
You’re darn right! GO SWIMMING
Kinder Swim Trespass 2023 My dog Ed and I made the journey over the Pennines on a grey Sunday on 23 April for the Kinder Swim Trespass. We trekked up from the village of Hayfields following groups of hikers and swimmers gripping ‘Go Swimming’ signs. The location of the trespass is not accidental and has…
Small wins and big losses
I recently visited Kentish Town Sports Centre in North London to swim in what were originally known as The Prince of Wales Baths built just at the turn of the century (app. 1901). The baths share a similar history to other Edwardian era sites such as Moseley Road Baths and Bramley Baths in that they…
They did it! For now, at least.
On Monday 16 May, 2022 the Municipal Government of Grenoble, France voted to remove the restrictions on full-bodied swimsuits in local swimming pools. This vote was in part sparked by the long and tireless struggle by Citoyenne Alliance who ran a creative, resilient and imaginative campaign not helped by the attempts to reduce the debate…
Winter water swimming in Liverpool
Liverpool may not be the first place that comes to mind for winter water swimming, but there are several swim locations around the city docks. On a recent visit I booked a Sunday morning swim for £5 via Liverpool Water Sports only then to mistakenly walk past the correct dock and encounter an entire different…
An Anthropology of Swimming 