Two Sheffield wild swimming groups are advocating for everybody to have access to swim in inland waters.
Sheffield Outdoor Plungers Community (SOUPs) is a swimming group who share advice, safety tips and arrange group swims.
They are campaigning for the right to swim in Yorkshire Reservoirs, using the hashtag #RightToSwim, as Yorkshire Water has bylaws in place that forbid it.
Member of the group Rachael Ackernley, 53, of Northwood Drive, said: “I don’t understand why Yorkshire Water can’t liaise with other water authorities to understand how to achieve open and free swimming for all.
“Rather than people being told not to swim and being told how dangerous it is, train kids and adults and advise them so they know how to be confident and safe in open water; education is better than ignorance.”
On the anniversary of the Kinder Mass Trespass which resulted in the Right to Roam, SOUP took part in a campaign for the right to extend to water; the Kinder Swim Trespass.
Hundreds of swimmers throughout Sunday took to the Kinder Reservoirs with placards saying ‘Go Swimming’ to protest the illegality of inland swimming.
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Yorkshire Water makes it clear on their website that swimming is prohibited in their reservoirs and people who swim do so at their own risk.
They provide information on the dangers of wild swimming, including government advice on blue-algae.
According to Yorkshire Water, swimming in their reservoirs is not safe because of the temperature, machinery and strong currents in the water and blue-green algae.
Natured Inspired Peaks Swimming Society (NIPSS) is another organised swimming group who believe that there should be access to Yorkshire reservoirs.
Florence Plant, of Marlborough Road, Sheffield, said: “Swimming in nature is a free form of therapy and exercise, and I don’t think it’s right to deprive people of that, especially with how expensive things are nowadays.
The 21-year-old NIPSS member added: “Helping people to understand the risks and promoting ways to keep safe would be a more responsible approach from Yorkshire Water.
“Criminalising anything will never stop people from doing it, it just means it’s unregulated and less safe.”
For advice and general safety tips on outdoor swimming, see here.