Windermere is England’s longest lake and for open water swimmers it’s something of a rite of passage. For our member Luke, it was a challenge that had to be taken on, so 2025 became the year to do it.

The swim was organised by Chillswim, who run several Lake District events including the iconic Windermere crossing. September 6th was the date, with around 300 swimmers signed up. Entries require you to declare your intended pace, as swimmers are set off in waves. For the first hour you must stay with your wave, so pacing matters – too slow and you’ll spend the swim frustrated, too fast and you risk blowing up early.

Training started in the pool through the winter before moving into open water in early May. Luke kicked things off with a 5km lake swim, where he was beaten by his 15-year-old son, a reminder he is not as young as he once was! However rather than denting morale, it sharpened Luke’s focus.

Next up was a 9km swim at Lake Bala. True to form, the Welsh weather delivered rain, wind and chop. It was a tough and slightly unnerving experience, especially knowing it was only half the distance of Windermere. Confidence returned later in the summer during a 4.5 hour training swim in a large, flat-calm lake in France. Luke swam the entire session alone (phone safely in his tow float and always close to shore). After that, he was ready!

Event day begins with registration in a field at the north end of the lake, followed by a minibus ride to the southern start, an uncomfortably long journey when you know you’ll soon be swimming the whole way back.

The route is 17km (11 miles in the event’s preferred metric). Feed stops appear every mile, with small boats offering isotonic drinks and jelly babies, yum! Luke also carried carbohydrate pouches in his tow float and aimed to refuel roughly every two miles, about once an hour.

The opening miles were perfect. Flat calm water, a group of around 40 swimmers, and a pace that felt just right. The first feed stop broke the pack apart and from there it became a steady process of overtaking swimmers from earlier waves.

Just before halfway, the course cuts across the lake from east to west to keep swimmers clear of other lake traffic. It’s a welcome change of direction before the halfway point and the scenic stretch past the islands, where the waves begin to merge and the water fills with swimmers.

Beyond the islands the lake opens into its wider northern section. More boats, more waves and by now the weather had picked up slightly. Fatigue started to creep in, and thoughts turned increasingly to the large yellow rubber duck marking the finish line. At one point Luke spent nearly a mile chasing a swimmer with a small yellow duck tow float before realising it wasn’t the finish..!

The final mile crosses toward Ambleside, the real duck finally in sight. Tired arms are replaced by determination as the shoreline gets closer. At the finish, the enclosure is full of tired but happy swimmers, supporters and volunteers and the unmistakable camaraderie that seems to define open water swimming.

Huge well done to you Luke — you’ve shown the way and inspired a few of us to give it a go! An iconic swim, and a brilliant one to tick off the list!

The post Conquering Windermere: Luke’s 17K Open Water Swimming Challenge appeared first on Spencer Swim Team London.

We spoke with three of our swimmers to share their experiences and achievements.

Josh’s Incredible English Channel Swim

We’re proud to celebrate one of our own Josh, who took on the legendary English Channel.

“Training for the English Channel felt almost more gruelling than the swim itself,” Josh says. Preparation started two years in advance, building cold water resilience and even putting on extra insulation. When Covid closed pools, he improvised: “I was sneaking into a friend’s garden, tethered to a bungee cord, in water often below 5°C. January, February, March hardly tropical but it paid off.”

Training included long Dover weekends, with one brutal session: “7 hours on Saturday, 6 on Sunday to mimic the Channel distance. Fun times!”

The Swim

Josh had the first swim slot of the week, though the weather was tricky. “At 10pm, I jumped in 50 metres offshore, stood alone on a dark pebbly beach, waiting for the horn. No lights, no company just the cold.”
His feeding plan was simple: no feeds for two hours, then hourly, then every 45 minutes toward the end. Around hour four, nausea hit. “I got cold and told my crew they reminded me quitting wasn’t an option. Thirty minutes later, I warmed up and felt much better.”
He swam without a watch, counting strokes to keep focused (Coach Steve would have approved!). Around 2am, something large bumped him. “Pretty sure it was a seal but let’s call it a shark for dramatic effect.” Jellyfish stings provided the occasional distraction!

The Finish

As dawn broke, Josh knew he was closing in on France. His crew urged him to sprint for the finish, though it felt like the shoreline never got closer. “I could see it and swam straight for it, but the boat guided me to a restaurant ramp to avoid rocks.” He finally reached the ramp, much to the surprise of the early morning diners, before swimming back to the boat for the return trip to Dover, where family and friends waited to celebrate his achievement.

Aftermath

Saltwater left him with a throat full of needles and a doubled uvula. “Explaining to the pharmacist at Boots that I’d just swum to France was… interesting, especially when they suggested a saltwater rinse!”

Josh calls it “the best experience of my life”, meeting inspiring swimmers and conquering a challenge few dare attempt.
We’re incredibly proud of Josh and his phenomenal achievement. Here’s to the next adventure!

From Lockdown to Lake Annecy: Emily’s Open Water Adventure

Over the past few years, Emily’s open-water journey has grown from a lockdown hobby into a true passion. She first discovered the joy of sea swimming during Covid, often heading out alone along the wild west coast of Scotland. That love for adventure soon led her to SwimTrek holidays starting with 5 km days and, more recently, taking on longer 7 km routes.

While Emily has dipped her toes into events like the Seahorse Swim in Dorset and the Southeast Region Open Water Championships, her focus so far has been on swimming for the pure enjoyment, freedom, and fitness that open water brings saving her competitive edge for the pool.

This summer, she completed her biggest challenge yet: a self organised two-person relay along the full 18 km length of Lake Annecy in France.

Emily credits the Spencer community for helping her continue to grow drawing on the advice of seasoned open-water swimmers and building strength and confidence through club training, especially the endurance sessions at Dulwich.

                                   Emily in Scotland in 2020

Hannah’s 33.3km Open Water Adventure in Croatia

Hannah’s passion for open water swimming has grown rapidly over the past two years. What began as a spontaneous 5k race with just a week to prepare soon became a full-blown love for the sport.

Earlier this year, Hannah took on her biggest challenge yet: the Ultra 33.3km Challenge in Croatia, swimming across four days. She followed a 16-week training plan, covering 24–30km per week in the pool, combined with strength work and weekly sports massages to manage a shoulder injury.

Reflecting on the experience, Hannah says, “Training taught me so much—not just about my body, nutrition, and rest, but also about staying accountable, motivated, and disciplined. Those lessons carried me through the challenge.”

The challenge itself was unforgettable. “The first two days were brutal—a storm rolled in, waves and winds were ridiculously high, and breathing became nearly impossible. But the final two days were magical: crystal-clear water, calm crossings, and even a dolphin sighting!”

Hannah’s results were impressive:

• 4th in her Age Group
• 5th Female Overall
• 34th out of 160 swimmers
• First British Female across the line

Beyond the statistics, Hannah highlights the community spirit. “I’ll never forget feeling mentally defeated on Day 2, and having Andy Donaldson swim up to encourage me—it unlocked something in me. Those moments, and the shared struggle with everyone else, made it so special.”

Day 3, an 11km solo swim, was her proudest moment. “Being surrounded by the stunning Croatian coastline, I felt a real sense of pride in how far I’d come. It taught me the biggest lesson of all: to believe in myself.”

We’re proud of everything our Spencer swimmers have achieved and inspired by what’s still to come.

The post Open Water Swimming Adventures of Spencer Members appeared first on Spencer Swim Team London.