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Saturday 19 September 2026

The First Great South Swim

The Great South Swim is coming to Bournemouth, Dorset in 2026. With multiple options for children, beginners, intermediates or Olympic distance.

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Be a part of Open Water Swimming history and join the first ever Great South Swim.

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Choose your event

Why choose The Great South Swim

Surf Lifeguards

We employ actual surf lifeguards to supervise your swim

Finishers tee

Receive a finisher's tee, medal & swim cap on the day.

Bournemouth, UK

The ultimate UK beach destination awaits, golden sandy beaches, public transport and world class tourist information.

Previous events by The Wild Swimming Co.

Previous events by The Wild Swimming Co.

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Testimonials - from previous events

We did the 2k swim on the Saturday of the Wild Swim festival and joined the old Harry guided swim at short notice on the Sunday. Both experiences were absolutely amazing. I've only recently taken to swimming and the way it was organised and run provided me with huge confidence in achieving something that 2 years ago I would have considered unachievable. Most of all we had great fun even in the rain on Saturday evening. We'll definitely be back and aiming for the 4k swim next year.

Alun Griffiths

A safe and well run event, organised and great fun. I felt safe in the water, plenty of support from the team.
A special shout out to Daniel who offered me support and encouragement when I was plagued with cramp. He stayed with me and I made it to the end, without him I would have had to leave the water. My first swim event, a high bar has been set.
Well done to everyone involved. 🏊‍♀️😎🌊🧘‍♀️

Ian Clark

Fabulous weekend, extremely well organised. Felt very safe out in the water during the 4k swim and also on the trip to Old Harry rocks. Such a shame the weather stopped the music, but it didn’t stop us from dancing ☔️💃

Nicola Hatherly

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“Not all those who wander are lost.”

J.R.R. Tolkien

Ask Us Anything

office@thewildswimming.co.uk | 01929 423131

©2025 by The Wild Swimming Co.

  • What is the wetsuit situation?
    You do not need to wear a wetsuit, however we will always recommend it. If you choose to not wear a wetsuit, you must decide this in advance and complete an additional acknowledgement of risk.
  • Can I wear a towfloat?
    We encourage tow floats
  • Can I change my event/ distance?
    You can choose to change your distance up to 1 week in advance, there is a £6 admin fee per change (plus increased rate if going up a class).
  • When do entries close?
    Entries will close 1 week week prior to the event, or when the event reaches capacity, whichever is soonest.
  • What do I do with my stuff?
    We offer a bag drop service at £5 per item. Please be aware that this may be really busy and that you may prefer to leave kit in your car.
  • What if I can't attend?
    Bookings are fully refundable within 14 days of booking In the event of cancellation by the client, the booking is not refundable, but we may transfer your booking to another name with more than 28 days notice (£6 admin fee). The Wild Swimming Co. works hard to deliver events that are as safe as possible. The safety of our participants and staff is always our priority. There are inherent risks and challenges of swimming in the sea, river or lakes, which can lead to situations where event cancellation, rescheduling or reformatting is required. We may have to cancel an event if circumstances beyond our reasonable control arise, including, without limitation, war, civil or political unrest, terrorism, adverse weather or poor water quality. If circumstances beyond our control require us to cancel the event, then The Wild Swimming Co. has no responsibility for any costs you have incurred and unfortunately won’t be able to issue a refund on your ticket purchase.
  • What if the weather is poor?
    If the weather is poor, we'll plan to go ahead, the route may change depending on conditions. We cannot refund you for disclination to attend. Bookings are fully refundable within 14 days of booking The Wild Swimming Co. works hard to deliver events that are as safe as possible. The safety of our participants and staff is always our priority. There are inherent risks and challenges of swimming in the sea, river or lakes, which can lead to situations where event cancellation, rescheduling or reformatting is required. We may have to cancel an event if circumstances beyond our reasonable control arise, including, without limitation, war, civil or political unrest, terrorism, adverse weather or poor water quality. If circumstances beyond our control require us to cancel the event, then The Wild Swimming Co. has no responsibility for any costs you have incurred and unfortunately won’t be able to issue a refund on your ticket purchase.
  • When will I receive final information?
    We'll be in touch 1 month prior to the event, we'll give you final information and collect your medical details and wetsuit choices. Please look out for this, non response may result in your entry being withdrawn.
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