Testimonials
Just a few words of support from our previous clients
"I opted for a custom lakes tour. It was my first experience in open water and it couldn't have been better. Graeme is super knowledgeable and personable, and both he and Jane were really encouraging and accommodating. I hope to back for one of the group tours next season!"
Catherine Bode (New York) - September 2017
"Had a fantastic evening. Highly recommend it!"
Sara Smith (Bolton) - August 2017
"Wast Water made the trip, that was exactly what I wanted, pitching up in the middle of nowhere to swim in a 'wild' lake like that really met my expectations of a lakes swim tour, it was by far and away the highlight for me, the drama of the surrounding, the water clarity, the interesting shoreline to swim along, all brilliant."
Sean Nicolle (Nether Winchendon) - August 2017
"Amazing weekend with hosts Graeme and Jane. We came we saw we conquered 5 lakes, made new friends and ate as many homemade cup cakes as we could manage. Great time had. Thank-you."
Andrea Troth (Bettws y Crwyn) and Vivienne Sparks (Chearsley) - August 2017
"Just come back from the Great Lakes Swim and it was just fantastic. I want to go back already and can't wait to go again next year. From beginning to end Graeme and Jane looked after us all so well and thought of everything. We had tea and cake on tap and a lakeside BBQ in the sunshine. The swims were well coordinated and every ability catered for. Accommodation was great as well. I was lucky to have such a fantastic and funny group of people and it's amazing how quickly people bond under such wet and sometimes chilly circumstances."
Bethany Rafter (Sheffield) - August 2017
"Graeme is great; he and his team know what they are doing; more importantly the swimmers safety is their top priority. You MUST experience some of his tours on Swim on the Wild Side. You are sure to have a lovely stay."
Mo Vaziri (Uxbridge) - July 2017
"Graeme and Jane were brilliant hosts for 4x4x4=1 event this weekend. Their patience was enormous. From ever changing languages on the sat nav, to stopping off at local supermarkets for provisions and/or toilet stops and/or food stops, to arriving at deserted hotels, and hotels with wrong bookings (that were actually right), everything was taken in their stride.
The 4 x 4km swims were really well selected and researched, and all were different, but beautiful in their own way (except maybe Lac du Madine… there was a terrible case of water Tourettes, and I apologise for my equally terrible language!!)
If you get the chance you go on one of these expos, grab it with both hands - they're brilliant! Thank you Graeme and Jane for a fabulous weekend."
Vida Bennett (Wokingham) - June 2017
"Just wanted to let you know what a great time I had last week. I came home giggling away and smiling. As I have said on Facebook - I don’t think I have laughed that much in a long time. Not only was the trip really well thought out and organised it was just the right amount of people for us all to get to know each other and bond as a group as well as complete all the swimming. Its funny as Shelby has said - the swimming felt like just a small part of it all on top of all the social aspect of the trip and making new friends. Thank you again for all your support and organisation, the driving, logistics and everything else you have both done. You really do make a brilliant team. As you said yourself if it hadn’t been so laid back we wouldn't have all had so much fun and go so much out of it. I am definitely looking forward to hearing more about the new adventures for Swim on the Wild Side too and will make sure I advertise it as much as I can for you to all my friends in the swimming community."
Helen Meehan (Askham) - June 2017
"It was an amazing weekend - I will be back."
Monica Needs (Chigwell) - June 2017
"We had a fantastic time swimming in Europe with Graeme and Jane. Nothing was too much trouble and everything was very well organised. Would go back again as really enjoyed it."
Dave Bennett (Wokingham) - June 2017
"Fantastic experience taking part in the 4x4x4=1, I enjoyed every moment of the trip. Unfortunately on the swimming day I wasn't confident enough to swim the full 16k in one day, but Jane and Graeme were great in customising each swim for my needs which made this all the more enjoyable!
Jane and Graeme are a great double act and made sure we were all having a fun time whilst keeping us safe.
I have a lot of great memories that I will keep for years to come and definitely recommend Swim on the Wild Side!"
Justine Branch (Whitehaven) - June 2017
"Had the most amazing time at the weekends 4x4x4=1 event. Planning was meticulous and even though things went wrong during the trip (no fault of Swim on the Wild Side) it was dealt with patience and humour. They really had a lot to deal with, with a group of women + Dave and Axel. Ladies toilet needs are pretty constant!
Graeme and Jane had tireless enthusiasm throughout very long days. And even though we faffed and chatted for way too long and threw the schedule off from the start, we were never rushed, which made for a much more relaxed and enjoyable weekend and have grown long lasting friendships because of it (I hope)."
Shelby Donoghue (Bradford) - June 2017
"Great experience first time open water swimming. I've been meaning to try it for ages and finally plucked up the courage to book. I also made my sister in law join me. Graeme provided great support from the outset to us both by email and phone. We met up on Sunday morning and had a chat about what to expect so no surprises. Didn't believe him when he said it wasn't cold but he was right. Wriggled into our wetsuits and gradually entered the water. We both felt safe and had lots of encouragement from Graeme. And the odd burst of laughter from our husbands! We headed up the Lake along the shoreline and got useful advice from Graeme on technique. We swam for about an hour and got a great feel for the water. The views from the water were stunning. I'm hooked now and would definitely recommend Graeme for anyone thinking of giving this a shot. And don't leave it as long as I did. Thanks again Graeme."
Elaine Smith (Kirknewton) - June 2017
"Just wanted to add my thanks to all the other feedback you have received. I really enjoyed the challenge. It was great to get away from the too busy life I have (my choice!) and immerse myself, quite literally in European lakes!
I appreciate that the tour took a great deal of behind the scenes planning and you were both extremely capable at dealing with all the trials and tribulations that came our way.
I don't think the trips to Aldi and Lidl were a mistake - I always enjoy visiting a foreign supermarket!"
Cath Cooper (Leamington Spa) - June 2017
"Just wanted to thank you and Jane for a wonderful few days. It was good swimming, good fun with a good group of people.
I appreciate how much organisation and re-arranging was involved but you and Jane are a fantastic team and seemed to manage everything effortlessly and always with good humour.
You will definitely be seeing me again and I shall recommend you to all my friends."
Lisa Hibberd (London) - June 2017
"As part of my preparation for my first Open Water (medium) distance race I looked for some outside guidance and assistance.
I took part in an island tour programme with Graeme which we set off into in some challenging conditions. Graeme was great - careful in his approach, yet pushy enough to ensure I was challenged, at the same time giving me some invaluable technique advice which will serve me well in my first race.
I would have no hesitation in recommending Swim on the Wild Side for anyone seeking help and guidance in the open water."
John Taylor (Knutsford) - June 2017
"Having never been able to swim front crawl, I decided to take on lessons with Graeme. It was a one to one session each week, allowing me to pick up the stroke basics, improve my stamina and give myself confidence in the stroke. After a few sessions, I was much more confident in front crawl. I would recommend sessions with Graeme as he is a patient, and knowledgeable swim coach."
Andrea Harbourne (Braithwaite) - March 2017
"Graeme provided an extremely personalised & professional late summer coaching session on Derwentwater. We focussed on many techniques & following a break put these into practice on a swim out to islands on the lake. Many of the techniques were new to me & were clearly explained regarding how they would benefit me in open water swimming events. After returning home I found that Graeme had also spent time typing out a detailed email regarding the techniques we had worked on & how I could put these into practice moving forward."
Chris Milne (Newcastle) - November 2016
"I started open water swimming a year ago. I am really enjoying it and decided to enter a few events. Just 500m to start with. This year I have entered the 1 mile events. I was quite pleased with my first swim but felt I could improve but wasn't sure how. I saw Graeme's website and contacted him. We meet up for an open water session in Derwent Water, the session gave me things to work on as well as letting me know the things I was doing ok. After a couple of weeks practicing I entered another 1 mile event and took 5 minutes off my first time. I kept thinking of the info Graeme had given me while swimming especially when I needed to pass another swimmer.
Graeme had a great supportive manner and and am looking forward to my next session with him."
Lynn Trussell (Crosby Villa) - July 2017
"By my own admission I just do not have what it takes to be an accomplished swimmer, indeed I have struggled for years to self teach myself.
Working with Graeme has helped me improve beyond any expectations I could even have dreamed about. His patient and humorous techniques have improved my efficiency in the water. You simply can't learn the fundamentals of a good swim stroke on your own and finding a great teacher is a critical step. I highly recommend Graeme to anyone wanting to improve their swimming technique."
David Ferrier (Lorton) - May 2016
"What a great company! My first involvement was as a pretty novice open water swimmer - I was encouraged, enthused and mentored from the second I stepped onto the shore on Derwentwater for a Friday night swim. From there I have progressed to participating in one of the hardest but most rewarding challenges of my life… 4km in 4lakes in 4 countries in 24h. The organisation & support from start to finish was brilliant. Every ability was considered and catered for and the support in and out of the water really helped me through. Thank you to Graeme & Jane and those involved in Swim on the Wild Side… I look forward to joining you again soon (once it warms up!)."
Tina Pilkington (Southport) - March 2016
"If you are looking for a swimming adventure that is exhilarating, fun and expertly organised look no further than Swim on the Widl Side. Our UK 4 lakes challenge was made even easier (if that is at all possible!) knowing that all we had to do was bring our kit and swim. All possible eventualities had been taken care and the clear instructions combined with on going in swim guidance and safety instruction from Graeme was invaluable. Needless to say I would not hesitate to swim with them in the future."
David Rock (Wolverhampton) - March 2016
"Graeme and Jane were amazing in their experience, knowledge and organisational skills to guide us around a 4km swim in 4 different lakes in 4 countries in a day. They have an extremely friendly and relaxed approach but ensured everyone's safety especially when the first swim began at night. They make an excellent team with Graeme being a very fast and strong open water swimmer and Jane being an excellent kayaker. You couldn't ask for more from any guide or tour operator. Without them, I would never have been able to achieve all these swims. I would definitely recommend joining them for your next open water adventure or challenge."
Fran Lou (Melbourne, Australia) - March 2016
"Thanks for a truly memorable weekend I enjoyed every minute and will value what you have done over the last 12-18 months for ever. You are both up there on the pedestal with that other great Lakeland sports oprganiser Barry Johnson. If you don't know Barry, believe me that is praise indeed."
Matt Donnelly (Darwen) - June 2015
"Many thanks again to you and Jane. I had a supper weekend and great swimming experience. There was a great team vibe thanks to your hard work bringing the idea together. Well done. Next pint is on me."
Kevin Massey (Darwen) - June 2015
Swim on the Wild Side is the Lake District's only swimming holiday operator offering fully coached activities with a qualified and experienced coach.
All of our swims are fully risk assessed, insured and we abide by the strict environmental rules laid down by the Lake District National Park, following the 'Ditch the Hitchers' campaign.
Want to make a booking? We’ll be happy to devise a schedule to fit your plans where possible just click here to visit our calendar.
Need more information? Dive into our Any Questions page here.