SWIM ACROSS BRITAIN

We spend the first two days of the trip on Loch Lochy. Similar to Loch Ness, its famous near-neighbour, Loch Lochy is filled with tales of mythical creatures. Our first swim of the day starts at the western end of the loch, where we swim to Bunarkaig. Based on the northwest shore of Loch Lochy it is known for its stunning views and walks. We start the afternoon off by swimming to Clunes Bay. We finish off the day by heading back to Bunarkaig where we moor for the evening. From here you will have time to explore the local area and enjoy an evening walk along the northwest side of the loch.

We head back to Clunes where we finished our swim yesterday, and start the morning by swimming to Glasdhoir, the longest swim we undertake in Loch Lochy. After lunch on board the Lady of Avenel we head out for our final swim of the day to Laggan Lock, the north-east point of Loch Lochy. The lock is separated into two settlements, North Laggan and South Laggan. We will spend the night in Laggan, where, following our group dinner, we will have the opportunity to visit the local pub ‘The Eagle' which is actually a converted large Dutch barge.

We start our morning off by hiking along the Great Glen Way finishing on the banks of Loch Oich. Today we swim the entire length of Loch Oich starting in the south end of Loch Oich, to our lunch spot of Invergarry Castle. In 1654 during the Civil War, Cromwell’s troops burned the castle down. It was later repaired and held by King James from 1688 until its surrender to William and Mary in 1692. Our final swim of the day will be exploring the remainder of Loch Oich making our way to Aberchalder based at the north east end of Loch Oich. We finish the day by hiking alongside the River Oich, until we arrive at Fort Augustus on the banks of Loch Ness.

Today marks the start of our traverse up the mighty Loch Ness, but before we get going we have the morning off and an opportunity to relax on board the ship, or explore the local area around Fort Augustus. After lunch we begin our swimming day as we cross from Fort Augustus to Rubha Ban. After our afternoon of swimming we enjoy a well-earned group dinner whilst we travel to our mooring for the evening.

Following breakfast, we head off from Rubha Ban where we continue on our journey. From here we swim to Invermoriston which is home to the Thomas Telford Bridge. During lunch there will be an opportunity to take a 15 min walk to see the locally famous bridge. Following this we continue north up Loch Ness arriving at Alltsigh where we finish our day of swimming. Once all have returned to the ship we make the short journey to Foyers. Whilst dinner is being cooked we will be able to walk to the Falls of Foyers, a spectacular 140 foot waterfall which empties into Loch Ness.

Heading back to Alltsigh we begin the day swimming the route we sailed the previous night, ending in Foyers. During this swim you are able to discover the local beauty from a different view point than the previous evening. Buzzards and Sparrowhawks are often spotted here. In the afternoon we swim 4km to Inverfarigaig. This is a hamlet at the mouth of the River Farigaig on the south-east shore of Loch Ness.

Today brings us our biggest day of swimming of the whole trip. We travel along Loch Ness from Inverfarigaig to Dores. For the first part of the day we swim along the south side of the loch before we make the small crossing to Urquhart Castle on the North side. This short swim goes over near the deepest part of the Loch which reaches 227m. Urquhart Castle is an iconic sight to all those who have travelled between Fort William and Inverness. We end the day swimming to Dores, home to the famous Nessie hunter.

We begin our day by heading to Loch End Beach. This swim is sure to provide plenty of stunning scenery and wildlife both in and out of the water. Our afternoon brings us to Weirs where you can now officially say that you have swum across Britain! We finish the day with a final group meal allowing us to look back on the week and the journey taken.

Due to the nature of where we are and the unpredictability of the conditions, this day is left spare to fit in any swims which may have been missed due to delays experienced as a result of poor conditions earlier on in the week. Should we experience no delays, we will start the day with a hike from Dochgarroch to Moray Firth followed by a sea swim exploring the coastline of the Beauly and Moray Firth.

Equipment To Bring Along With You

In addition to 'normal' daily clothes, you will need to bring the following:

• 3 swimming costumes
• 2 pairs swimming goggles*
• Sun hat and sunglasses
• Waterproof sun-cream
• Sweater/fleece/waterproof jacket
• Top and Bottom inner layers
• Aqua shoes/sandals
• Towel
• Small daypack
• Walking sandals/shoes
• Woolly Hat
• Thick Socks
• Gloves
• Insect Repellent

*Try to bring one clear lens and one tinted lens for different light conditions

Swim Hats, Flippers, Rashvests And Water Bottles

Please note that SwimTrek will supply swim hats. We will have a limited supply/range of flippers, rashvests and wetsuits available on the trip, but we cannot guarantee sizes for all. If you have your own flippers, rashvest and wetsuit we would recommend you bring these with you in order to maximise your enjoyment of the trip. Please note that SwimTrek will provide water and electrolyte drinks in shared water bottles on your safety boat. If you prefer to use your own drink bottle, please feel free to bring one along.

Swimming Distances

During the tour we plan to undertake the following swims:

Swimming Speed Caveat

Due to the nature of this trip and the length of our swims, there is a minimum swimming speed of 24 min/km (38 min/mile).

Walking Conditions And Distances

Note: The walks on this trip will be along both footpaths and unsealed trails. We advise that appropriate walking shoes are worn.

Temperatures

*Please note that these temperatures are indicative and should be used as a guide only.

Weather Caveat

For safety reasons, we rely on decent weather conditions when carrying out our swims. As a consequence, open water swimming holidays require a certain degree of on-trip flexibility which can result in changes to the planned itinerary. These changes often add a touch of uniqueness to your trip and will be communicated to you by your SwimTrek guides as quickly as possible.

Group Size

This trip has a maximum group size of 12 people with two swim guides, a boat captain, a first mate and a chef. The trip will be split into a maximum of two groups based on speed, each of which is accompanied by their own safety vessel/escort.

This trip starts in Fort William and ends in Inverness. There are many different options for travelling, however we recommend flying to Inverness and taking the CityLink bus to Fort William (roughly takes 1½ hours). We also suggest looking into the option of travelling by train, as Fort William is a main line train station.

Flights: Skyscanner | Bus: CityLink | Train: National Rail

Whichever route you choose to take, we recommend reserving all flights and buses to and from Inverness/Fort William as early as possible prior to travel in order to avoid price rises and availability issues.

Trains to Fort William

Trains to Fort William are widely available from various British cities. A small selection of the train lines that travel to Fort William are listed below.

The Train Line | Virgin Trains | ScotRail

Travelling to Inverness

Flights to Inverness are widely available from various British and European cities. A small selection of the airlines which fly into Inverness are included below.

Travelling from Inverness to Fort William

CityLink provide a bus service that goes from Inverness bus Station to Fort William bus station. We advise that you purchase your ticket in advance prior to your travel.

Accommodation

The Lady of Avenel is a 102ft Brigantine square rigger with 12 guest berths and staff quarters. Built originally in Poland in 1969 as a tug vessel she was refitted in 1992. Soon to make her film debut, the Lady of Avenel will be appearing in “Through the Looking Glass”, the sequel to Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland.

Meals

All meals are included on this trip, cooked by our very own on-board chef. With years of experience working on various vessels, this trip offers a high standard of food, fuelling you for your swims during the week.

Extra Expenses

You should bring extra money with you to cover such items as visits to pubs, etc. The local currency is the British pound.

Passports And Visas

You require a full passport, that should be valid for six months beyond the expected length of stay. You should check if you require a visa. Most nationalities including EU, US, Canadian, Australian and New Zealand citizens do not require a visa to enter. Visa regulations do change so please remember to check for the most up-to-date information.

Vaccinations

There are no essential vaccination requirements for Scotland, but you should ensure that your immunity to tetanus and polio is up-to-date.