Outdoor Swimmer Magazine | Right To Swim

At its simplest, swimming is an act of freedom. A body moving through water, held and carried, asking for very little in return. Yet when we talk about the Right to Swim, we are also talking about access, safety, permission, and who gets to feel they belong in open water. This January/ February issue explores that idea from the shoreline outwards, asking what needs to change so that more of us can enter the water with confidence and care.

Rowan Clarke speaks to swimmers, organisers, and campaigners who are reshaping the landscape of outdoor swimming, examining what true access looks like and how we protect the spaces we love. Ella Foote takes us into the legal and academic world of water with Cristy Clark, whose work on the legal geographies of swimming challenges us to think differently about ownership, responsibility, and our relationship with rivers, lakes, and seas.

The future of outdoor swimming runs through this issue too. We hear from teachers, schools, and coaches who are opening doors for the next generation, ensuring that confidence in water is learned early and shared widely. We are also delighted to welcome a powerful new voice to the magazine. Olympic swimmer Alice Dearing, the first Black woman to represent Team GB in the water, joins Outdoor Swimmer as a coaching contributor. From 2026 onwards, Alice will be guiding you through endurance, challenge, and ambition in the water, helping you swim further and stronger.

Alongside this, Gear Editor Jo Tinsley brings practical warmth to winter with reviews of sauna kit, swimsuits, and warm boots, while our free annual travel supplement invites you to dream ahead. New places, new water, and the simple pleasure of swimming somewhere different.

As a new year opens, this issue is both a celebration and a call to action. If we care for access, for each other, and for the waters themselves, 2026 could be the best year of swimming yet.