Swimming in Kinder Reservoir

“Notices” you see”!!

It seems that however many reservoirs you see around upland reservoirs, and we have a good number hereabouts, including Kinder, there will always be an equal number of people determined to ignore them. Even in the summer a large body of water will be very cold. I have worn fishing waders to go a few yards up to my knees into Ladybower and other upland reservoirs and you can feel the cold through them. There are currents too, which many people don’t take into account “because it’s not the sea”! Another hazard is silt. A bank that can look solid can give way to silt that can grab your feet and be very hard to get out of. These bodies of water are very large and often isolated (Kinder is very isolated) and there are no safety measures such as life belts or emergency telephones around the banks.

Scotland has had open access since 2003. They have a higher rate of drownings considering the population size. However further investigation reveals that almost half (4 in 10) are the result of accidents causing someone to fall into water, not swimmers.

If swimming has been banned in the Kinder reservoir, then those people who persist in ignoring the ban are setting an extremely bad example, no matter how much care they take to protect themselves.
It is the flouting of the ban that is the danger, not the activity.

I don't think it is comparable to the mass trespass at all.

there may be a small number of reservoirs where it is safe to swim: so designate them as such, clearly signed, but the rule remains do not swim unless clearly permitted.

That’s fine. I just wanted to know whether you thought ignoring advice was a good idea or not. A couple of our staff (not me!) do wild water swimming, but won’t be there for the event. As the younger one said, “If someone sees me there, the cries about teachers being irresponsible and setting a bad example would be on the news.”
Teens don’t bother about well organised. They think that if others think it’s OK to ignore advice, then why should they.

Are you really suggesting that all open water swimming should be banned because some young people act foolishly and jump into reservoirs without preparation?

No.

I don’t assume you’re suggesting that it’s OK for people to choose which rules to obey or not either.

I’d never do it or condone it happening, because it’s dangerous. A boy in my class at school drowned because he was sucked by the current into the reservoir water exit, we were 9.

This is an organised trespass. Commemorating in part the Kinder Trespass of 24th April 1932 which led to the opening up of many areas to public access. The Scots have had open access to reservoirs for swimming since 2003. Many reservoirs are available for swimming and the water companies that own the reservoirs have a responsibility in law to provide leisure facilities. The evidence is that those actually taking part in wild swimming are not the people who drown.
www.outdoorswimmingsociety.com/sixteen-reasons-reservoirs/

Resrvoirs are widely used for all kinds of leisure pursuits, including wild swimming. Some years ago I belonged to a sailing club that sailed on Datchet reservoir. I have just googled them, it is now a large business offering all kinds of water sports, including power boating on the reservoir.

Thames Water wants to drown our local area under a huge reservoir and one of the incentives will be the opportunity to use it for water-based leisure facilities.

Reservoir water doesn't come straight from the reservoir into our pipes. It is drawn off the reservoir and then goes through treatment works to make sure it meets the required standards of purity and cleanliness before entering the water system. This happens to water from all sources.

But surely what the OP about is not about the protest itself, but about a mass organised wild swim acting as an incentive to youngsters swimming in their local reservoir on a hot day.

As I said, reservoir swimming by organised groups of wild swimmers who know the dangers and have rules about how wild swimming takes place is a completely different thing

As some of you know I m a year round sea dipper/swimmer but I think that safety has to be paramount in ANY water based activity you just cannot cut corners and do what you want
Swimming in this reservoir hasn’t been banned to spoil people’s fun or their right to swim in the open it’s been done purely for their safety

We recognise the right to protest, but we have to remind anyone thinking of taking a dip that the reason we don’t allow swimming is because it is very dangerous.

Kinder reservoir is an operational site with deep, cold water and hidden hazards. The reservoir is constantly supplying water for the Stockport area so there are also strong currents below the surface.. it is also entered by a steep and bumpy road, these protesters are being head strong and setting a bad example to young people who will follow their lead maybe on a hot day and could lead to life loss
Most things are forbidden for a reason and this is definitely one of them

All of the water here is pretty disgusting nanna8. It’s full of sewage

Should people swim in a water storage reservoir anyway? I wouldn’t want to drink their germs.

Ali08

Where is Kinder Reservoir?

The High Peak in Derbyshire

Where is Kinder Reservoir?

There is a big difference between young people in their ignorance thinking it is fine just to jump into a reservoir and swim, unaware of the dangers and a group of all weather swimmers doing something like this.

My DD is a open water swimmer, and swims outside all year round and she has talked to me about the preparation made before a swim in cold water. They never swim alone, always in a group. The personal routines, including checking on the group and how the swim will be organised and the routines they go through when they get out to ensure their well-being are clearly set out and anyone who didn't follow them would soon be ejected from the group. Many of them will also be wearing wet suits.

Whatever the pros and cons of this particular protest. Are you really suggesting that all open water swimming should be banned because some young people act foolishly and jump into reservoirs without preparation?

If you do that then you will need to ban all those that go hillwalking or mountain climbing, because seeing trained experienced people doing it may encourage other people to do it who have neither the skill or experience, or marathon running because it might encourage unfit untrained people to do themselves harm trying to run long distances.

So irresponsible. Some people just don't think.