We've introduced a whole new way to travel with us in 2025/6 - here's everything you need to know for your very first SwimHike...
Over the past few years, we noticed a natural marriage between hiking and swimming on a few of our trips. This was most notable whenever we took guests away to the rolling hills of the English Lake District, where we follow the tracks of the famous Lake Poets to reach secrets meres and tarns.
So, the obvious question was: "Why don't we combine swims and hikes for locations that cater for both activities?" Then we settled on Ithaca as the ideal destination to trial our first adventure. The beautiful Greek island offers a variety of trails for all skill levels and there is an abundance of natural beauty there, which we can stop to admire whenever we rest - think misty waterfalls, plunging gorges and tangled forests.
'We settled on Ithaca as the ideal destination to trial our first adventure…'
Whenever we introduce a new SwimHike, you can count on it being set somewhere with a combination of inland and coastal swims, as well as scenic hiking trails, which our guides explore prior to your arrival. Rest assured you will know the difficulty of the walk before you take your first step to avoid any unwanted surprises. The exertion shouldn't distract you from being able to enjoy every aspect of your swimming and hiking holiday.
You'll see more on each single trip with opportunities to explore further on foot, enhancing your time above water, which can make more remote swims accessible too as we've found on our Galapagos Explorer trip as well.
This is a great option if you're unsure about the amount of swimming you want to do. You'll notice many of these trips will be marked with our Moderate grading and the itineraries include shorter distances in the water - often only one swimming session per day. Most of our guests who are new(ish) to open water will be more than comfortable on a SwimHike. We just recommend that you are able to swim an average distance of 3-kilometres per day prior to the start of your trip.
The hiking takes us over varied terrain, with climbs and some patches of uneven trail. Each walking section will require our guests to have reasonable walking fitness and some degree of hiking experience. You should be able to complete an average hike time of 2 hours before you join our trip - this ensures you will get the maximum enjoyment from your experience.
Introducing... Ithaca SwimHike (Leaving from 6 June, 2026)
Our first ever SwimHike! Explore all mythical Ithaca has to offer, swimming its cliff-edged coastline and hiking inland with our experienced guides on scenic trails to bays and coves. Along the way, keep your eye out for historical ruins and panoramic lookouts peering over the calm Ionian Sea.
- Walk up to 5 kilometres daily and find coastal wonders, like the white pebbles and blue-green shallows of Gidaki Beach from Vathy
- Swim up to 3 kilometres each day, roaming the sunlit surrounds of this peaceful Greek refuge – the fifth largest of the gorgeous Ionian islands
Our Inspiration: Exploring The Lake District
As the great fellwalker and writer, Alfred Wainwright, said - "The hills are eternal". His guides to Cumbria's Lakeland are now legendary and the walks he took up 214 different fells inspired walkers from around the world, who rove in search of the same peaks he summited in the 1900s. Throw in around 16 lakes - plus, more tarns and rivers than you could swim in a lifetime - and you've got a location seemingly sculpted by a divine hand for holidays of swimming and hiking!
- Lakes And Tarns (Leaving from 16 June, 2026): Swim the iconic Lake District among stunning valleys, lakes, tarns and waterfalls. Combine safely escorted open water swims with spectacular fell and forest walks. Then kick your feet up in happy seclusion at The Inn at Grasmere (with a sauna, heated pool and restaurant serving seasonal and local produce).
'A brilliant trip in a stunning location with amazing guides and support team.' - Jenny M, UK (2025)
- Western Lakes (Leaving from 7 August, 2026): Experience an unforgettable swimming holiday among the rolling green fells of the Lake District. Walk the fells when they're in full bloom as the bluebells brighten the heights of Rannerdale (May trips only). You'll also stay close to stunning Crummock Water and Buttermere to discover the area's lesser-known waters.
'An amazing holiday, with knowledgeable guides and boat crews, swimming in one of my favourite parts of the UK. What's not to love?' - Eleanor G, UK (2025)
- YogaSwim Lake District (Leaving from 19 June, 2026): Get back to nature with a blend of freshwater lake and tarn swims, as well as restorative yoga sessions in Cumbria's iconic Lake District! Hike on stunning fell walks, where the Lake Poets roamed, and seek out unforgettable local lake and tarn swim spots.
'I was slightly apprehensive about the [YogaSwim Lake District] trip as it was my first open water holiday and I am a slow swimmer, but I need not have worried... I loved it!' - Claire A, UK (2024)
Health Benefits Of Hiking And Swimming
Why do hikes and swims goes so well together? Here are a few similarities that make the combination so worthwhile:
Both physical activities are set in nature, allowing you to take time and engage in mental restoration. Studies have shown that time in green spaces lowers our levels of a stress hormone called 'cortisol', easing tension and the burdens of our daily lives. Exposure to fresh and the vital vitamin D we get from sunshine are important to our overall health and wellbeing.
Swimming and hiking are proven to boost your mood as the movement releases endorphins. The symptoms of anxiety and depression are known to be partially relieved by time spent outdoors. The rhythmic motion of swimming, coupled with the subaqueous sound of water, is calming too.
These are two forms of cardiovascular fitness. Walking uphill will strengthen your heart and lungs, and you also engage your legs and core to stabilise muscles. At the same time, you're getting additional benefit from weight-bearing which helps with bone density and also burns calories, especially on longer walks. While swimming works your whole body - it's gentler on the joints - enabling you to gain endurance and build the muscles in your arms, legs, core and back. You will gain greater heart and lung capacity too, without suffering from injuries associated with high-impact exercises.
'Swimming and hiking are proven to boost your mood as the movement releases endorphins…'
The social benefits of hiking and swimming can never be overstated. Sure, you may think of these as solo activities suited for isolated reflection, but they are perfectly suited to bring together active groups of like-minded individuals. They are also accessible to a wide range of fitness levels, depending on the waters you lunge off into, or the trails you explore.
We hike, swim and spend time away from scrolling screens and the mental clutter of urban life. This inspires more focus and creativity - a mental reset, so you can get back to flourishing both inside and out. Swimming is a fantastic form of exercise for stress relief and involves prolonged immersion in water, which evokes greater focus and presence.
Hiking helps to improve your balance and coordination as you follow winding trails over uneven terrain. When you swim, you also reach and stretch to shape your strokes, which improves your flexibility and posture, keeping the body supple.
The sense of achievement you get from leaping into your first chilly tarn, or rising to a distant summit, inspires a deeper sense of connection to the location you visited.
