New for 2024! You can now hire a tracker pre-event to use on the day of your swim! The tracker will allow your family and loved ones at Brockhole, and at home, to ‘dot watch’ you via Open Tracking. Each swimmer will be displayed on a tracking page as a dot. By clicking on the dot various options can be seen including your location on the map, start time, split times, etc.
The tracker will be handed to you in a tow float at our merchandising tent and will need to be given back after your swim. You can add tracker hire at point of entry for just £15. If you have already entered and want to hire a tracker, you can order via the link below.
Hire a Swim Tracker here
Swim Sessions - Sunday 9 June
After a successful pilot last year, two supervised swim sessions are available on Sunday 9 June designed for those who want to give open water swimming a try, or those with experience who want to refine their swimming technique.
DIVING IN 13:30pm £50 inc. VAT
This 1hour skills session is aimed at first-time open water swimmers or those who would like support in developing their open water confidence. This course will teach you all the open water swimming fundamentals with our specialist coaches on hand to guide and answer any questions you might have, so you can feel more assured in the water.
Sign Up Here
MOVING UP 13:30pm £50 inc. VAT
This 1hour skills session is aimed at swimmers who are already confident, or have some experience swimming in the open water, and want to develop their stroke and skills. You will spend 45min in the water, refining your swimming techniques with advice from our specialist coaches. This session will help give you the confidence to perhaps go for a bigger distance in the future or feel more efficient and comfortable in the water.
Sign Up Here
The Arla Great North Swim is a weekend-long celebration of open-water swimming. Expect stunning scenery, the best of local food and drink, outdoor activities, culture, art, history and thousands of like-minded people coming together. Think of it more as an open-water adventure than a race.
250m
A family-friendly option
The Swim250 option is perfect for anyone aged 8 years old and over. The Swim250 (250 metres) is the equivalent to 10 lengths of a standard 25m pool, and is a great choice if you’re looking to try the open water for the first time, or if you’d like swim with the family.
All 8 –12 year olds must be accompanied by an adult. Anyone aged 13 years old and over can take on the swim as an individual.
½ mile
A great place to start
A great introduction to outdoor swimming, the ½ mile is the equivalent to around 32 lengths of a standard 25m pool. The average completion time to complete the ½ mile distance is approx 20 minutes.
Entrants must be 12 years old and over on the day of the event.
1 mile
Get a feel for the open water
The 1 mile is suitable for swimmers of all abilities and is equivalent to 64 lengths of a standard 25m pool. The average completion time is approx 40 minutes. You can choose to enjoy a leisurely breaststroke while taking in the scenery or kick into crawl for a faster time.
Entrants must be 16 years old and over on the day of the event.
2 miles
A great challenge for all abilities
- 1 hour 15 minutes
- 125 lengths
2 miles is the perfect event for open water swimmers looking for a longer challenge and who have maybe tried an open water swim before. A 2 mile swim is equivalent to around 125 lengths of a standard 25m pool and the average completion time is around 1 hour 15 minutes.
Entrants must be 16 years old and over on the day of the event.
5k
A challenge for experienced swimmers
This distance is suited to experienced, confident swimmers looking to go that little bit further. A 5k swim is equivalent to around 200 lengths of a standard 25m pool. For this distance cut-off times apply: swimmers must be able to reach halfway (2500m) within 1 hour and finish within 2 hours. Generally the 5k takes in 3 laps of the standard 1 mile route.
Entrants must be 16 years old and over on the day of the event.
10K
Official open water Olympic distance
The 10k marathon swim is suitable for regular swimmers who are capable and confident of taking on longer distances. Putting in the hours of training for this distance is highly recommended. The entry age is 18 years old and over (on event day) and anyone who enters must be able to swim 10k unaided, within 4 hours. This swim is generally 6 laps of the standard 1 mile course.
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If you’re keen to try an open water swim, but don’t know where to start, the Great North Swim250 event is ideal. It's perfect for new new or nervous swimmers, families, and children aged 8 and over, to test the water and get a feel for swimming in the great outdoors.
What is it?
250 metres (the equivalent of 10 lengths of a standard 25 metre pool) of open water swimming/splashing/doggy-paddling in the bay area of Windermere.
Please note: Please note our wetsuit policy. Every child aged 11 and under must be accompanied by one adult (per child). Anyone aged 18+ years old is classified as an adult.
Payment information: For children aged 8 - 11 years old the standard entry payment is £19 and accompanying adults must also purchase an entry at a cost of £19. For anyone aged 12 years + the entry is £19 per entry.
All entrants will receive a swim cap, a shiny new medal and a finisher's t-shirt, included in the entry price.
8 - 11 year olds sign up here
12 years old and over sign up here