Challenging Waters: The Diary of A Lake District Swimmer
By Danielle Murphy
One Carlisle man took his love of the Lake District and soft spot for swimming to the next level.
Defying expectations and fulfilling a dream, 62-year-old John Mather has conquered 13 of Cumbria’s lakes and bodies of water. Over the course of three years John has swam the equivalent of 40 miles and after completing the challenge he decided to share his experiences in the form of a book titled ‘Challenging Waters: The Diary of a Lake District Swimmer’.
John successfully completed some of the biggest lakes in England, he even managed to swim the length of Windermere which spans a whopping 10.5 miles. John said: “I absolutely loved it. Swimming is a passion of mine and has been since I was a child. I also have a huge love for the Cumbrian lakes and combining the two was fantastic.”
For John swimming isn’t just a hobby to fill the time, it is a pleasure which he relishes and wants other people to benefit from in the same way, he said: “I was a quiet child and enjoyed playing cricket but i found so much solace in swimming. I would visit the baths often, I felt I could truly express myself through swimming and it really helped with my self-esteem. It can also be really peaceful as well as social.”
One of John’s biggest achievements was undertaken last year when he successfully swam Ullswater lake and raised over £1000 for Wigton baths after the floods of 2015. John said: “I was delighted to see the kindness of people. We received so much support it was amazing.”
John’s book will take you across each of the lakes he swam with implements of history, information and facts surrounding each individual lake. Filled with wonderful sketches hand drawn by John himself as well as tips for swimmers who fancy giving wild swimming a go. The book will be ideal for adventurers and swimmers alike. He also aims to raise awareness of the lakes and their conditions, giving information on how we can help protect them and the wildlife that inhabits the surrounding areas.
John added: “I want people to realise the beauty that the Lake District has to offer, but respect it at the same time. We live in such a fantastic place and there is so much history, I really want to be able to share that with others.”
‘Challenging Waters: The Diary of a Lake District Swimmer’ will be available to purchase as of March in local retailers.
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