Date: Friday 10 October
Swim Start: Approx 8:30am
Start Location: Barmouth, Wales
Finish Location: George III, Penmaenpool
Distance: 10km River Swim
Charity Entry: £60 (+£250 fundraising target)
General Entry: £120
Age Limit: 18+
Swim Difficulty: challenging swim
Avg. swim time: 1-2 hrs
The Hurly Burly/Bwrlwm Bermo
Set in North Wales on the edge of Snowdonia, this is one of the most beautifully wild river swims you’ll find. It starts on the sandy beach of Barmouth, and takes swimmers underneath Barmouth Bridge, a mile and a half wide iconic railway bridge. The first part of the swim is up the wide and sandy estuary with mountains on either side, and then it’s through ‘the narrows’ and into a more sheltered part of the estuary.
The whole swim takes place on a fast incoming tide that works like a bore to assist your swim. Past the narrows the water speeds up further, and the landscape becomes pastoral, the banks closer to you. There is no option to run before the swim this year because of the early start. Instead we’re happy to sign-post the many other activities to do in Snowdonia.
The swim ends at Penmaenpool, to change, gather for hot food and warm up around the fire pits.
Swim Difficulty
Swim Difficulty
This swim is best suited for experienced outdoor swimmers. The route can be choppy and the conditions can change quickly, so it's important to be prepared. If you're newer to outdoor swimming or still building your confidence in open water, you may want to consider a less demanding event first.
Swimmers should be comfortable swimming at least 6km and ideally able to maintain a pace of around 40 minutes per mile (based on a steady, continuous front crawl in a pool, without big push-offs).
You may encounter colder temperatures and wind, both in and out of the water, so bring appropriate kit—such as extra neoprene layers for swimming and a windproof layer for the run. We recommend including a variety of outdoor swims in your training, especially in windy or choppy conditions, so you're ready for whatever the day brings.
“This has been the best of river swimming – A journey through a remarkable landscape. It was a new way of saying goodbye to summer too, taking its place among those other markers of the seasons such as the equinox and the solstice, and leaving us with a renewed appetite for further adventures once the long days return. ”
The Power of Swimming
The Hurly Burly has a life-changing impact on thousands of people, with all profits and funds raised going to Level Water. Each year the charity provides 30,000 bespoke 1-1 swimming lessons for children with disabilities in 150 pools across the UK. By taking part you will be giving those children the opportunity to learn to swim and fall in love with the water. An amazing gift.
It’s supported by volunteers from the local and swimming community, who make it one of the most special events in the swimming calendar. It’s a journey not a race in so many ways - the journey of training and preparation, of the weekend, of the swim and of the support that you provide to the next generation of swimmers. It’s a big distance challenge that attracts all types of swimmers; we have fast swimmers, skins swimmers, swimming families, swimmers with disabilities, newbies, butterfly swimmers. If you can swim a mile under 40 minutes and are dedicated to your training, there’s room for you in the river.
