Not quite sure where this year has gone…April already?! With the weather behaving badly, and spring being put back into the under stairs cupboard, I thought we could share some short films this month that enthuse and encourage for those sheltering behind the duvet. So why not grab a cup of something warming and take a look and some beautiful watery adventures?

First up is a little film from the ever lovely Rach who posts regularly as Everyday Athlete Rach on all manner of swim related issues and activities. This film absolutely captures the peacefulness and delight of an early morning swim. I know that Karen and I often laughingly moan about getting up to catch one another for a swim first thing, but on a glorious spring morning it really is so worth it! No really! What I love abut this film is that Rachel is just over on the opposite shores of the Solent from us, so the sights and sounds are very familiar. It really does make me smile. As she says – it’s “the serenity of an early morning swim. It’s really special to walk in to the sound of birdsong and then to immerse in nature watching the birdlife from water level”. Swimming first thing is indeed something special.

Next up is a short that shares some breathtaking beauty from the Lake District as we join The Girl Gone Nomad for an early morning swim. It never ceases to amaze me that people energetically run and then swim….and then run again too! I have to say that the landscape in this film is wonderful and definitely distracting, so maybe it’s worth the effort of the journey. Whether you’re running or not, you can thankfully enjoy it all from your armchair right here.

And lastly, but not least, we’re taking you on a river adventure with Al Humphreys. Al filmed this a few years ago and I come back to it again and again. It might not be strictly about swimming, but it is about capturing the serenity and calmness that being on or in the water brings. Al has written a range of books about adventuring – both small scale and large, and I’d definitely recommend looking at his website for inspiration (this is not a paid advert!). Getting outdoors and exploring doesn’t have to mean huge costs and massive logistics, it can also be about micro adventures and exploring locally. So maybe start planning and in the meantime, sit back and float along the river….

Hopefully the spring weather will return shortly. In the meantime, dip safely in the cold water…or just await the warmer days.

Happy swimming.