Swimming is both a childhood rite of passage in Australia and a national obsession. Surf beaches, harbour pools, rivers, billabongs, creeks and dams are where children learn to swim, keep on swimming and then visit with their own kids and grandchildren. Australia’s record-breaking swimmers have been our heroes since the days of the original ‘million … Continue
I am planning to stop over in Singapore on my next trip back to the UK. So now I need to work out which is the best hotel to stay in Singapore, and by best I mean the one with the best hotel swimming pool. A very quick online search suggests these ten hotels have … Continue
St Kilda Sea Baths, an iconic Melbourne swimming spot If you’re planning to visit Melbourne and you love to swim, you’ve come to the right spot. You’ll find here lists of the best Melbourne indoor and outdoor pools, the loveliest of the hotel pools, some gorgeous beaches and wild river swimming spots as well. Read … Continue
Orange, in Central West NSW, has some excellent swimming options. So if you find yourself here visiting the wineries, fruit picking or hiking and biking, it’s easy to add a swim or two into your timetable. Orange Aquatic Centre Corner Hill and Warrendine Streets, Orange NSW 2800 Orange Aquatic Centre website This 50 metre outdoor … Continue
Here follows a list of books about swimming. If you are looking for inspiration, you’ll find plenty here. These are mainly memoirs of swimming to survive trauma, but there’s also more bucolic descriptive books plus a warm and entertaining novel. This is my bedside table book list, I’m reading through them all in between my … Continue
My sandals for swimming! A swimming friend recommended these plastic Birkenstocks and I found some shortly later. They’re now a fave element of my swimming clobber. The Arizona is the classic Birkenstock style. These are made of ethyl vinyl acetate (EVA), a non-toxic lightweight and flexible synthetic material. Birkenstock do say that: ‘This style must … Continue
Swimming in the sea, in rivers and in lakes, is one of life’s great thrills. Luckily, there are plenty of places to do it. From the chilly waters of Orkney and Alaska to the warm Pacific. Call it ocean swimming, wild swimming or plain old swimming. What’s important is that you learn to be safe … Continue
Iceland is not for the faint-hearted. But it is a fantastic destination for lovers of the great outdoors who can handle a bit of fire and ice. At the top of this post is a night shot of the Blue Lagoon, probably Iceland’s best-known swimming spot. I would so love to leap right into that … Continue