Swimmers of all abilities are being urged to take part in the Lake District Calvert Trust’s Around the Bays in 80 Days challenge.
Around the Bays in 80 Days will see people swimming, dipping or paddling in 30 bays listed on a map around the Lake District. To make the most of the summer months, the challenge runs from June 1 to August 19.
The bays include Pooley Bridge on Ullswater, Barrow Bay on Derwentwater and Fell Foot on Windermere, as well as quieter locations such as Rydal Water and Loweswater.
The Lake District Calvert Trust is expecting high levels of interest in Around the Bays in 80 Days, with local swimming group the Sunset Skinnies already supporting the event.
“We are hugely excited to launch our Around the Bays in 80 Days challenge for 2023,” said Yvonne Booth, fundraising officer for the Lake District Calvert Trust. “It is one of our major fundraising initiatives of the year and is open to swimmers of all abilities.
“We are encouraging everyone taking part to swim, dip or paddle as much or as little as they want – it might be one stroke in every bay or a longer swim from location to location in the same lake. It’s all about having fun.
“For wild swimmers wanting a more testing challenge, the 30 Bays can be completed in 30 days or even 30 hours! We know that wild swimming became an unlikely saviour for many during the COVID-19 pandemic, with participation in natural bodies of water increasing between 1.5 and three times since 2019, according to trends report by Outdoor Swimmer.
“We are encouraging all the wild swimmers in Cumbria to take part in our Around the Bays in 80 Days challenge.”
The event is sponsored by holidaycottages.co.uk. Stacey Turnbull, senior regional communities manager, said: “We are very proud to be supporting Around the Bays in 80 Days, as it is a fantastic opportunity to raise essential funds so children and adults with disabilities can experience outdoor adventure challenges.
“We hope to see many locals and visitors getting involved with this event, seeing more of the Lake District, and supporting a charity which does fantastic work in our community.”
Registration for Around the Bays in 80 Days is available at https://calvertlakes.org.uk/events/around-the-bays-in-80-days-2023/
On registering, participants will be issued with fundraising pack and branded swimming cap.
