Open water swimming can be in any open body of water - be it a lake, pond, river, or the ocean. It can be a quick dip or a long 10km swim. Open water swimming is becoming increasingly popular in the UK but why do we do it, and what do we really get from it?

The aim of this survey is to collect information on where and why we open water swim and what sort of benefits we get from swimming outside in the natural environment. We also look into what puts people off open water swimming, so that aquatic sites can be better managed in the future. We are looking for responses from all types of open water swimmers - whether you are a novice that gets in once a year or a regular swimmer.
Results of this study will be written up and disseminated to policy makers in order to improve the evidence base for policy decisions.

For this, we would very much appreciate it, if you would answer some questions below during this short survey. The survey will take 5- 10 minutes and your answers will be treated with complete confidentiality. By participating in this survey, you are consenting to taking part. Your participation is entirely voluntary; if at any point during the survey you do not wish to take part, please close the browser, any data you will have entered will not be stored. Results from all participants are being collated and aggregated so that your individual preferences will not be retrieved. You may withdraw from the survey at any time. Any information you give will only be used for the purposes of this study and any reports / scientific and popular press publications that may result from this work.

For further information, please contact Ross Shackleton (ross.shackleton@unil.ch) or Louisa Wood (louisa.e.wood@gmail.com)