Watersedge Wild Swim Relay 2026: Meteors, Music and a Whole Lot of Heart
First swimmers enter the water! Photo by Neil Duggan
The Buzz of the Event
Twenty-four hours. One stunning lake. Endless pink and yellow bunting, and an atmosphere that brought the Level Water community together for another unforgettable weekend.
Returning to the gorgeous Watersedge Lake is always a highlight of the season. With its sleek wooden saunas, sweeping stretch tent, and picnic tables looking out over the water, the venue brings a touch of class to our midsummer madness. We lined every inch of the site with our signature flags - even setting up a protective perimeter of bunting and a very necessary "Beehive" sign around an active wasps' nest to keep campers safe! After Friday’s rainy setup, the weather cleared into pure, unbroken sunshine for the entire event. As the stunning morning mist cleared over the water, registration opened, the campsite buzzed with energy, and swimmers were refuelled by a rotation of food trucks serving up pulled pork, chili beef nachos, evening pizzas, and morning bacon sarnies.
Non-Stop Support
Out on the water, the safety team kept the energy sky-high, backed by their legendary night-time music kayak cruising the loop and blasting pop classics. A couple of hours into the event, we adjusted the swim course closer to the bank so spectators could crowd the shoreline and cheer their teammates on from just feet away - and the cheers didn’t disappoint!
With open flames prohibited on site, our designated communal cooking zone on the gravel became the unexpected social hub for the evening, where teams huddled together around camping stoves to share hot drinks and eye up each other's culinary creations. We also enjoyed being serenaded by musicians into the evening, delivering some real sing-a-long classics whilst the sun went down.
Whizzing around the course! Photo by Neil Duggan
Meteor Magic
When darkness fell, the air temperature dropped to a chilly 10°C, making the 20°C lake feel like a warm bath. Night swimmers were treated to a truly magical backdrop: bats swooping overhead, curious ducks gliding alongside them, and shooting stars from the Perseid meteor shower lighting up the clear night sky. Nearby, one team kept motivation high by updating an illuminated whiteboard with glowing messages every time their swimmer passed by, which really aided those tough middle-of-the-night swims.
Sunrise and the Final Stretch
By Sunday morning, the final lap brought the classic relay spectacle: bright costumes, giant inflatables, and full teams taking to the water to complete the final loop together. The star of the show was undoubtedly Charlie - one of Level Water's young swimmers. Charlie tackled the lake on a giant inflatable unicorn alongside his teacher Cheryl, playfully towing volunteers around the course, and later took to the microphone to share how much his swimming lessons mean to him, providing a beautiful, grounding moment for everyone on site. Charlie was joined in the water briefly by his brave little sister, Alice - who is also swimming with Level Water.
Our Inclusion Specialist teacher, Karen who teaches in Birmingham took part in the event as part of a team of swimming teachers. Karen’s Level Water swimmer also came along and took to the shallows of the lake alongside her (and another teacher Ian), getting some experience of outdoor swimming in a safe environment. It was wonderful seeing the confidence built in lessons transfer into open water!
Level Water Swimmer Charlie and Swim Teacher Cheryl. Photo by Neil Duggan
We couldn’t do it without YOU
Thanks to the incredible efforts of our swimmers, volunteers and supporters, the event raised over £67,000. At just £15 a lesson, every single pound goes straight into funding adapted swimming lessons for disabled children across the UK.
The weekend was packed with inspiring moments, including a local swimmer who dropped by just to volunteer for a Saturday shift, fell completely in love with the atmosphere, and immediately signed up to swim the relay next year. One of our duos (who swam 12 hours each) covered the equivalent distance of swimming to France! As the final teams were cheered across the finish line and the event space returned to its tranquil natural beauty, Watersedge delivered yet another triumphant celebration of community, swimming and purpose.
Of course, none of it would have been possible without the brilliant people working behind the scenes. A massive thank you to our fabulous volunteers, who worked tirelessly throughout their shifts to keep everything running smoothly and make things as breezy as possible for our swimmers. Your time, energy and enthusiasm were very much appreciated.
A huge thank you also goes to Angela, our Event Manager, for everything she did to bring the weekend together, alongside our brilliant medic team at Square Knot, our fantastic Swim Safety team, and Tim, Nathan, Richard, Elaine, Alex and Sophie, who were all sterling members of the team throughout the weekend.
And a very special thank you to the Watersedge café and sauna team, who kept everyone going through the night with hot saunas, coffees and hot chocolates – very gratefully received during those chilly early hours!
And last, but certainly not least, thank you to our incredible hosts, Em and Soph. Watersedge is a very special community, and we feel incredibly privileged to be welcomed into it for the weekend.
Photos by Neil Duggan
