Outdoor Swimmer’s Annual Trends Report: The boom in outdoor swimming explained

Photo credit Bazil Arden

Over the past twelve months or so we have seen a surge in the number of people swimming outdoors. It has become the norm to see swimmers stripping off and heading into the water throughout the year and the rise in participation hasn’t gone unnoticed. National newspapers have discussed the benefits of cold water immersion in articles as well as noting the rising number of people who are bundling up and heading to our lakes, rivers and oceans. Outdoor Swimmer Magazine’s Founder and Publisher, Simon Griffiths, has also noticed the significant rise in swimmers. In this blog, he tells us about the magazine’s annual trends report and what it uncovers about the boom in outdoor swimming.

Information provided by Simon Griffiths, Founder and Publisher of Outdoor Swimmer.

Outdoor Swimmer magazine’s annual trends published earlier this year, reveals that thousands of people took up outdoor swimming during the coronavirus pandemic. The report also highlights that for many, swimming has become a massive support to their physical and mental health during challenging times.

What does Outdoor Swimmer’s annual trends report* tell us?

Key statistics

• Outdoor swimming has grown by around 1.5 to 3 times in 2020.

• 75% of new outdoor swimmers wanted to continue swimming outdoors in winter.

• Two thirds of outdoor swimmers say the activity is essential or very important to their mental health.

In addition to the findings above, important themes emerging from the report include the growth in female participation (up from 50% in 2017 to 65% in 2020), a huge demand for winter swimming and the positive association between outdoor swimming and general well-being. The report also shows that becoming an outdoor swimmer raises people’s awareness of environmental issues and encourages them to take action to reduce pollution and environmental damage. It is also clear that those who turned to swimming outdoors during the pandemic are continuing to do so now even though gyms and pools have reopened.

Photo credit Max Campbell

Why did more people take up outdoor swimming?

It makes sense that a lot of people turned to swimming outdoors during the coronavirus pandemic. It comes as no surprise to us that people who are used to swimming a significant number of laps each week would have headed to natural bodies of water once swimming pools were closed. The same kind of surge can also probably be seen within the cycling community. Any exercise outdoors became attractive to us during the first lockdown and this was continued through subsequent lockdowns.

However, while outdoor swimming boomed in 2020, many of small and independent businesses working in the sector struggled. These include event companies, swimming travel businesses and swimming coaches. Nearly all events were cancelled, travel was practically non-existent, and venue and pool closures, along with restrictions on physical interactions and group sizes, severely hampered coaches’ ability to operate.

According to the report, many new swimmers wanted to continue swimming through winter. Photo credit Bethany Allen.

What about the future?

Looking forward, Outdoor Swimmer sees a mixture of optimism and caution. Once people start swimming outdoors, the majority have a positive experience and only 1% like it less than they thought they would – they are therefore likely to continue. However, the impact of the coronavirus pandemic will have long-term consequences for businesses in the sector that some will struggle to recover from. Ultimately we have discovered how important swimming outdoors has become to people’s lives, allowing them to invest in their wellbeing, and develop a greater connection to the natural world that surrounds us.

Download the highlights of Outdoor Swimmer’s Trends Report here. 

If you want to get into swimming outdoors head to our groups page.

*To compile the report, Outdoor Swimmer surveyed more than 2000 new and regular outdoor swimmers, interviewed with leading figures in the world of outdoor swimming, and carried out extensive desk research.

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