Winter Wild Swimming Guidance in Lochs and Rivers
For many of us, inland wild swimming doesn’t stop when the temperature drops—it simply changes. Winter swimming can be deeply
31st July 2021 – Birgham to Norham (20km)
We had finished our previous swim in Carham in England, but with Birgham a village in the Scottish Borders being based on the opposite bank it was too great an opportunity to miss starting our days swimming from our last Scottish starting point. Again, with the Border running down the centre of the river we would be continually passing from Scotland into England, thankfully no passports were required. Susan joined me again in the water and we had Jim keeping a close eye in us from the comfort in his kayak. The day started bright, and I knew it was going to be fabulous with Susan my feeder having her supply stashed in the canoe and we had the pleasure of Andy, the BWRT team lead join us for a couple of kilometers.
Keeping our experience real and in line with our experiences so far in the Tweed we started the day with shallow rapids ensuring our bruises were maintained as we bounced off the rocks. Today’s swim would again be between Scotland and England, as the river wound itself ever closer to the sea. And true to the geography, we were starting to get more swimming in the closer we got to the mouth.
It was interesting to see how the banks changed and were more developed for fishing with a greater number of fishing huts. We encountered more Ghillies and thus more fisherman spending the day on the river. We had communicated with the ghillies prior to our adventure our of courtesy to let them know our plans and likely time through the areas. The jungle drums pounded as we moved our way through the water from one beat to the other, admiring the casting of the men, and checking in on their progress. The message which was transferred was that the crazy swimmers were on their way through. The stones within the riverbed as well as the vegetation had subtle changes too the further east we moved.
Birgham
Birgham is a village within the parish of Eccles in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland.
The name “Birgham” is believed to be a corruption of the phrase “bridge ham,” indicating that this was historically a crossing point over the River Tweed.
Historically, Birgham is notable for the Treaty of Birgham, signed in 1290. This treaty was an agreement between the kingdoms of Scotland and England, arranged to secure the independence of Scotland following the death of King Alexander III. The treaty proposed the marriage of Margaret, Maid of Norway, to Edward, the son of Edward I of England, while stipulating that Scotland would remain “separate and divided from England according to its rightful boundaries, free in itself and without subjection.”
Coldstream was our biggest town to pass today and with the town comes a swim under the iconic historical bridge.
Coldstream Bridge
Coldstream Bridge is a historic structure that spans the River Tweed, linking Coldstream in the Scottish Borders with Cornhill-on-Tweed in Northumberland, England. Designed by renowned civil engineer John Smeaton, the bridge was constructed between 1763 and 1766 at a cost of approximately £6,000. It comprises five main segmental arches, each with a triple keystone, and two smaller flood arches at either end, all built from squared and tooled sandstone blocks with ashlar dressings.
Wikipedia
The bridge has undergone several modifications to ensure its structural integrity. In 17 known as the “cauld” was constructed, a downstream weir to prevent erosion of the foundations. Further reinforcements were made in 1922 with concrete, and significant strengthening and widening took place in 1960–1961, including the addition of cantilevered footpaths to accommodate increased traffic.
Coldstream History Society
Historically, the bridge played a role similar to Gretna Green as a site for runaway marriages. The toll house on the Scottish side, often referred to as the “Marriage House,” was a popular destination for English couples seeking to marry under Scotland’s more lenient marriage laws. Tolls were collected on the bridge until 1826.
Scottish Places
A plaque on the bridge commemorates the visit of Scottish poet Robert Burns on May 7, 1787, marking his first journey into England. Additionally, the bridge holds historical significance as the route by which the Stone of Destiny returned to Scotland on November 15, 1996, after being taken by King Edward I seven centuries earlier.
Scottish Places
Today, Coldstream Bridge is recognised as a Category A listed structure in Scotland and a Grade II* listed structure in England, reflecting its architectural and historical importance.
Wikipedia
Many years before I had canoed the Tweed from Kelso to Berwick with my two children, spending the night under the stars on Dreeper Island, I had loved the experience, my children not so much, and the adventure had sparked my love for the river. Passing the island brought back fabulous memories of us tethering the canoes, cutting back the foliage, setting up a tarpaulin cover to sleep under and building the fire to cook our sausage casserole over. The estate house across the river had a party happening with live music, so we had been serenaded through the night with a bright twinkling stars above us.
The final stretch of the day took us past Cabby Island, under the Norham Bridge where we met up with our land support and finished a fabulous day on the water.
For many of us, inland wild swimming doesn’t stop when the temperature drops—it simply changes. Winter swimming can be deeply
I reached out to the pals I swim with as the magic of water resonates with so many people and
I asked my swim buddy to share with me his experience of cold water dipping and what I received was