Open Water Swimming Sessions

You don't need to be an experienced open water swimmer! Our sessions are open to anyone over the age of 8, but you do need to be able to swim at least 200 metres. Please note that swimmers aged between 8 and 11 need consent prior to attending the session. 

To book onto a session, simply download the Wild app or visit the Grafham Water or Pitsford Water pages of the Wild website, sign up and book your session! The app isn't just a booking system, it's also a great safety tool that connects to your wristband during your sessions. 

Not at all! There are two marked courses for you to choose from - a longer 800m loop or a shorter 300m loop. At every session there'll be a trained open water lifeguard on hand if anyone needs assistance. 

If you haven't tried open water swimming before or, we'll be adding an Introduction to Open Water Swimming course where you'll be coached by one of our experienced team members.

We have marked out an area of the reservoir that is safe for supervised open water swimming. However, for your safety, open water swimming is only allowed during allocated times where a lifeguard is present. To find out more about the available times you can book to swim, please visit the Wild app.

If you're not an experienced open water swimmer and don't have all the gear - don't worry!

Wetsuits - these are optional, but if you do wish to wear one, there are a limited number available to hire and purchase onsite. 

Tow floats - anyone swimming without a wetsuit must wear a tow float, so you're easily visible to our staff and other water users. These will be available to hire and purchase onsite for anyone that needs one.

Brightly coloured swim hats - all swimmers must wear a brightly coloured hat for safety purposes. These will be available to purchase onsite if necessary. 

Warm clothes - remember that water temperature can feel much colder than air temperature - even on a warm sunny day, the water can feel colder than you might think. Make sure you bring something to wrap up warm in, and make sure it's easily accessible for when you get out of the water.

There are outdoor showers close to the swim exit where swimmers are required to rinse off their wetsuits after their swim. These can also be used to wash in, but there are not dedicated changing facilities.

At Grafham, you can use the nearby Visitor Centre toilets if you wish. And at Pitsford, there are toilets at Brixworth Country Park you can use.

We strongly advise you to keep all of your valuables in your car and we have a board to keep your car keys safe during your swim. 

For Grafham Water, head to our Marlow Car Park using postcode PE28 0BH. Once you get there, head past the play area straight towards the water and you'll see our watersports reception area. 

For Pitsford Water, head to Brixworth Country Park using postcode NN6 9DG. Once you get there, head towards the water and turn left along the access track. The swim area is at the edge of the Sailing Club boundary.