Hurly Burly FAQs
Below you will find answers to all of your burning questions about the Hurly Burly. From start time and locations, training and wetsuit advice to parking and accommodation advice.
If you can’t find what you’re looking for, you can email swim@levelwater.org
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The Hurly Burly is a wild, fast and epic 10km swim in the heart of Snowdonia. It take places in the Avon Mawddach, a river in a wide valley at mercy to the elements. It’s exciting, astonishing, wonderful and beautiful.
You need to be a strong swimmer with plenty of outdoor swimming experience in cold, choppy waters to take on the Hurly Burly. This is not a swim for those taking on their first outdoor swim (see Bantham Swoosh).
A 10km swim is the equivalent of running the London Marathon so proper training is essential to complete this swim safely.
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The Start
Near Barmouth Harbour, on the sandy beach in front of the Merioneth yacht club. (LL42 1HB)
The Finish
George III pub, Penmaenpool (LL40 1YJ).
Please note: There is absolutely no parking for anyone at the finish due to the event village taking up the only car park. There will be a shuttle bus service from the finish back to Barmouth.
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Swimmers will enter the water at approx 8:30am.
You need to register to get your hand numbered and collect your swim hat before the swim, so please aim to register in good time.
The average time for completing the Hurly Burly is 1h45m.
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We are a disability swimming charity, and will do everything we can to support swimmers with additional needs. We have an event accessibility committee, composed of a group of swimmers with different needs, who review our events and advise us how best to support all swimmers.
The start of the swim is c. 100m from the road across sand. There is then a beach entrance to the water.
The finish is on to mud, with 20m of wading through shin-deep water. There is then 20m up a slight incline on grass (potentially wet and slippery). Then through a gate and onto a fairly level and firm dirt road. This is 100m from the event village, which is a further 150m from the coaches.
If you require adjustments (e.g. access for vehicle pick-up/drop-off at start and finish villages, or putting a wheelchair into the baggage van for you) then please ensure you record this in the “medical” box of your registration form. If you could email geri@levelwater.org highlighting this, to ensure your specific needs are met, that would be helpful.
If you'd need more complex adjustments (e.g. assistance from a helper whilst you're in the water, a different exit arrangement), please send your phone number to geri@levelwater.org before registering and we will contact you to discuss.
We must insist that if you have any concerns whatsoever about your medical fitness to participate, that you consult with your GP before taking part in the swim.
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Swimmers need to be 18+
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The average time for completing the Hurly Burly is 1h45m.
There is no cutoff time other than to get to the finish before the tide turns.
The river has a strong current helping you cover the ground two to three times faster than your normal swimming speed. However, this is still an incredibly challenging swim and not suitable for those without plenty of experience.
A lot of training is required and a good level of swimming is necessary to complete the swim.
If you become very separated from the main pack, then the safety crew may have to pick you up and leapfrog you back into the water with them, but they will avoid this wherever possible
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Our water safety team will be on hand during the event to offer their support, and very tired or cold swimmers will be evacuated from the water.
To avoid being evacuated from the water, please make sure you train hard for this challenging swim. We expect swimmers to have a lot of outdoor swimming experience and those who don’t train and aren’t used to the conditions will struggle to complete it.
Please do not enter if you are unsure of your readiness.
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Yes. You’ll go off with slack water, but the incoming tide will assist your swim. This is known as one of the fastest 10k swims in the country so expect a wild and speedy swim.
Just because it’s fast, doesn’t mean it’s easy. Swimming in fast, choppy water is a skill and those without the relevant experience will struggle with the conditions.
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If you need to stop during the swim, the safety crew will evacuate you. There are paramedics on hand, and a warm up tent - please use it and tell a volunteer if you need to go there, and they will assist you into the tent, get you hot chocolate and your bags and look after you.
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There are no feeding stations. Water will be available at the swim start, and a wide range of refreshments are provided at the finish village. Lifeguards will carry a small amount of water.
Some swimmers choose to tuck an energy gel inside their wetsuit; if you do this, please be sure to bring your rubbish to the finish line.
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All swimmers and spectators must park at the start in Barmouth.
THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO PARKING AT THE FINISH OF THE SWIM.
Parking at the Start
Parking at the start in Barmouth is very simple as there are many parking spaces. Head to the Barmouth Main Car Park.
Parking at the Finish
THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO PARKING AT THE FINISH OF THE SWIM. After the swim, all swimmers and spectators will get a coach back to their car in Barmouth.
Accessible Parking
There are plenty of accessible parking spaces in Barmouth. Please email geri@levelwater.org if you would like an accessible parking pass. If you require parking at the finish, please contact us.
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The Hurly Burly very quickly became a swimmer-only challenge. With it being in a very remote part of the country and at the end of the season it can be quite the journey for supporters.
However, hardy supporters are welcome. At the start of the swim in Barmouth Harbour, supporters can see their swimmers off. They then jump on a coach to meet them at the finish.
NO PARKING AT THE FINISH
Supporters will not be allowed to drive and park at the finish. There is absolutely no parking at the finish so they must purchase a return coach ticket. This can be purchased by the swimmer during registration, or on the day if there is capacity.
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At the Start
With the start being in the centre of Barmouth, all facilities are available for swimmers including toilets, refreshments and a changing area. But we advise you to prepare to change al fresco.
At the finish
We take over the car park of the George III pub and will provide toilets, warming tents and a limited undercover changing area, so we advise you to prepare to change al fresco. The pub will be able to provide food and refreshments.
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There is no option to run this year. The swim is a very early start. Instead we’re happy to signpost a wealth of other activities to do in Barmouth so you can make the most of the area. Watch this space!
Ticket Entry Types
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General entry tickets cost £120 and gives you entry into the swim, a free coach ticket from the finish back to Barmouth, a swimming hat and finishers prize.
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Charity entry tickets cost £60 and gives you entry into the swim with a minimum fundraising target of £250.
All the money you raise goes to Level Water who provide 1-1 swimming lessons for children with disabilities. We’ll be on hand to support your fundraising efforts.
You’ll also get a free coach ticket from the finish back to Barmouth, a swimming hat and finishers prize.
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Volunteer and swim tickets cost £70. This is cheaper entry into the swim in return for your volunteering support before and after the swim (more information will be provided upon request)
You’ll also get a free coach ticket from the finish back to Barmouth, a swimming hat and finishers prize.
You’ll also receive priority entry into one of our river swims in 2025.
Training
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With the swim taking place at the end of the season, you have plenty of time to train for this epic 10km swim. And training is essential.
The Hurly Burly is one of the fastest, wildest 10km swims out there and experience of swimming in cold, choppy conditions is essential.
Those who fail to prepare and train properly will struggle with this challenge and may be evacuated from the water.
Training manuals written by top coach Dan Bullock are available for download from the OSS website.
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Absolutely. You must train in open water in all different types of conditions to prepare properly for the Hurly Burly.
If you’ve swum in a pool then thats a good place to start. Open water has new factors to get used to as well, including colder water, not being able to see the bottom and ‘chop’ (wind-blown waves). Even throughout the swim the conditions can change suddenly, which is why it’s important to train in cold, choppy conditions as much as possible.
It is essential you experience some outdoor and cold water training prior to the event. It will help you to prepare and acclimatise to the water temperatures on the day. Some easy ways to get some open water practise:
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You will be swimming in brackish water – a mixture of salt and fresh water. This will be more buoyant than fresh water, which can make swimming in flat, calm conditions slightly easier. It is a good idea to swim in your wetsuit in salt or brackish water prior to the event, so there are no surprises.
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Yes. First, cold acclimatise – this means swimming outdoors regularly before the event, in a lido, sea, river or lake. You may be amazed how fast your body gets used to lower temperatures. Second, consider investing in a rash vest, booties or gloves if you are particularly prone to cold. Remember, you will be generating heat as you swim.
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Building up your training properly is more important than having actually completed the specific distance. The atmosphere and adrenalin on the day will help you to complete the event.
However, with this event being at the end of the season you will have all summer to train effectively and get use to the conditions.
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Yes. The big differences between swimming indoors and outdoors are the fact you need to be able to swim in a straight line (without the help of pool lines) and check where you’re going (“sighting”), and the water may be choppier. There is some advice on sighting and breathing above chop on the OSS website.
The river is wide and vast and learning to sight is an essential skill to help you navigate the route and keep on eye on the paddle boarders and other swimmers.
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Yes, if you can’t swim front crawl you will not be able to take part in the Hurly Burly.
Front crawl is an efficient stroke that allows you to see where you are going and is the easiest way to cut through the water effectively.
Breaststroke will be too slow.
Backstroke is not allowed, as you cannot navigate the course or other swimmers.
Wetsuits, tow floats & fins
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Yes, full-length (“wrist-to-ankle neoprene”) triathlon/ swimming wetsuits are compulsory.
We do allow a limited number of experienced ‘skins’ swimmers to take part. This is because it is a long swim and the water is cold: with a shortie or no wetsuit you will get too cold.
Surf wetsuits are not typically comfortable or flexible enough to swim 10k: they are restrictive around the shoulders, which makes front crawl harder, and very buoyant around the feet which makes breaststroke difficult.
The non-wetsuit category is for pre-authorised experienced swimmers who have recent experience of swims of similar and greater length without wetsuits in the previous 12 months.
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If your wetsuit is made of neoprene, designed for swimming/triathlon/swim-run and covers your body from wrist to ankle, then that is fine. If you wish to wear less than this then please apply for a skin swim.
Please make sure you train in your wetsuit many times before the event.
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If you wish to swim without a full-length wetsuit, please tick the box on your application that you would like to be considered for a skin’s swimmer application (this includes shortie wetsuits). You will then receive an email form which you have until 30th April to complete.
The returned skins swimmer application will be considered, and you will then be informed of our decision within a month. The team will be looking at 3 things:
Previous documented experience of long-distance swimming without a wetsuit in similar temperatures, e.g., the Channel, Windermere one-way, BLDSA events, Swimtrek.
Current training at similar temperatures (anticipated 11-14 degrees)
Willingness to undertake a long-distance practice swim prior to the event of a similar distance and a similar temperature prior to the event, to ensure you do not become hypothermic.
You do not need to provide notarised evidence, logbooks of your experience or certificates of completion to evidence your experience. We will assess your experience based on your skin-swimming application form, completed by you. We work on the basis that your application is truthful. Where appropriate we verify this by looking at events’ official published results.
The decision of the water safety manager is final on wetsuits and no discussion can be entered into. We advise swimmers to be prepared to wear a wetsuit if asked. All swimmers agree to abide by the event rules.
The bottom line on skins swimmers is that we welcome experienced skins swimmers, who show (on their application form) recent experience and acclimatisation to these distances at this temperature, but we are not the place to do your first long skins swim (or your first long skins swim in a while) as you will not have individual safety support. This rule is for everyone's safety - safety cover is shared. Groups such as the BLDSA offer swims where you provide your own safety cover and are more appropriate for anyone trying a long-distance swim without a wetsuit for the first time.
Please note, your ticket is sold on a “wetsuit compulsory” basis, and if we are unable to grant you skins swimmer permission your ticket is not refundable.
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Our events are tow-float free. We have ample safety cover who watch swimmers via their brightly coloured hats. Tow floats makes sighting swimmers harder, by doubling the number of brightly coloured objects in the water and may entangle other swimmers.
Snorkels, hand paddles, and fins are not permitted as the hard edges risk injuring other swimmers at the swim start. If you require these for medical reasons, please declare this on your swimmer disclaimer.
We ask that you don't wear headphones, so that the lifeguards are able to get your attention if needed.
Please don’t use any mechanical or powered propulsion devices. Any other items that could inhibit the flow of the river or compromise the safety of others are also restricted.
Most swimmers with personal medication tuck it up the sleeve of their wetsuit. If this doesn't cover your needs and you want to use a tow float for the purpose, please contact the event manager on geri@levelwater.org
Other
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Yes!
Please ask them to email geri@levelwater.org and they will send them all of the details needed to register to volunteer.
We can offer lunch in thanks to our wonderful helpers, and discounted entry to Swim Collective events.
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For general questions, our facebook event is the place to ask (and answer!) general questions with other swimmers. Alternatively, email geri@levelwater.org
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If your question is specific to your personal circumstances, please email geri@levelwater.rog and allow up to a week for a reply. You are likely to get a faster response by posting in the facebook event instead.
