First open swim festival at Loch Insh a cool success
It’s official: Loch Insh is the hottest spot for a freezing winter open-swim festival.
In fact it is so perfect that it takes a whole day for sledgehammer-wielding paddle-boarders to create a hole in the ice big enough to hold everybody.
“It was amazing hard work,” celebrated Becca Harvey, event co-ordinator for the weekend’s SwimWild WinterFest at the Kincraig beauty spot.
“A whole team of us had to keep working away for hours to move enough ice and ensure our swimmers would be able to enjoy access to the loch.”
And by the start of the event there were no fewer than 60 festival-goers. They descended on the village’s celebrated outdoor centre from all over the country, including even as far away as Somerset.
“I wouldn’t have missed this for the world,” said Annie Dunford, who had travelled from Northumberland.
“This is just the perfect place – gorgeous landscape, wonderful clear water and the best facilities.”
Annie or ‘Teacake’ to her friends – all open water swimmers seem to have nicknames – explained: “The swimming is so enjoyable and the company couldn’t be better. All these kindred spirits getting together for some healthy fun.”
She was speaking to the Strathy on Saturday afternoon after a joyous prize-giving for the best fancy dress outfits, winners receiving mini hot water bottles boasting coats knitted for them by locals Phil and Fiona Hawkins.
Alice Goodridge’s SwimWild weekend of dips, films and talks was a huge success and there are hopes that it will become an annual event.
More pictures in today's Strathy.
