A new open water swimming site is set to open at the historic Kings Mill Reservoir this summer. The team behind the swim, Love Open Water, hopes to raise awareness of the mental and physical benefits of open water swimming and get more people in the water.
Kings Mill Reservoir is a local nature reserve that offers a number of different activities including lake walks, adventure centres and now, open swimming. The historic site has been open since 1883.
Head of Development at the National Open Water Coaching Association (NOWCA), Francesca Richards said: "Historically, the reputation of the water not being clean comes from the fact that it isn't watched over by an ecologist or team of water experts. The local council looks after it so they do a visual analysis which means if they see anything other than crystal clear water then they think it's algae. They don't do lab testing, which is what we do, to make sure it's safe for people to swim in."
