Going swimming, in the pool and outdoors, advice on enjoying the process..

Freedom from Form

September 6, 2017

Available to Everybody We haven't evolved to swim distances. The four competitive strokes are by their nature restricting. They are product...

Not So Slow Sophie

August 17, 2017

Cheryl makes friends with a head-up breaststroker on holiday and shares her top tips... “ Despite her lovely stroke and confidence, keeping her he...

View Pirana Goggles Review

August 3, 2017

The mirrored version has been Ian’s choice over the summer... “ They weigh almost nothing, and I don’t feel them on my face. They don’t give the...

Just Floating An Idea

July 8, 2017

“ The healing properties of salt water have been acknowledged for centuries. But if there's going to be healing, in or out of the water, the less w...

Going Away and Getting Somewhere

July 4, 2017

Cheryl's home from her Strel Swimming Adventure in Montenegro... Thank you Strel Swimming Adventures for the lovely trip in Montenegro last week...

I Am Not A Swimming Instructor

July 3, 2017

Freedom from the shackles of a job title... “ Facebook requires you to say what your business page is about. Feasible categories include Swimmin...

Old Man River

June 17, 2017

Reflections on Swimming with the Alexander Technique... “ It’s as if the river doesn’t mind one solitary human quietly joining it. With a group,...

Meet Me at the Symmetry Gates

March 27, 2017

Aiming for balance in the water... “ Breaststroke and butterfly are symmetrical. The two sides of our body do the same thing at the same time. F...

Taking A Break!

February 23, 2017

Ian's Intervals help Cheryl's countdown to open water adventure... “ The Strel website suggests you should be able to swim about 2.2 km per hour...

Enjoying the Journey with Breaststroke and Butterfly

February 15, 2017

Looking ahead with no left and right turns... “ Rhythmically, meditatively, without stress, without worries, I alternated lengths of breaststrok...

Testimonials

Rachel

As a very nervous non swimmer I came to this course full of water fears. The experience has been transformative in so many ways....fundamentally learning to trust the water and stop fighting it. Anyone who has had fears will know that can seem a huge challenge to overcome. But the teaching is highly personalised and even my neurodiversity was embraced in the learning. Ian and Cheryl are amazing human beings who also know their craft inside out. They are by your side literally and emotionally through any water challenges you have. They are compassionate and yet practical. Every lesson is full of useful information but manages to be very relaxed and even fun too! I came so much further than I ever thought possible and fell in love with the water. I never thought things like floating...being on my back...regaining balance ...face in water and even being in depth would ever be possible. But within a couple of weeks these have been achieved. The setting is perfect...the cottages are a retreat from normal life in the beauty of rural Wales. I want to tell the world about this unique experience...certainly tell your nervous swimmer or non swimmer friends.... That there is a gold nugget in west Wales and that's Swimming Without Stress.

July 2025

Barry

Going Swimming