Between May and October each year Windmilers “home” open water venue is Shepperton Open Water Swimming Lake (http://www.sheppertonopenwaterswim.co.uk/contact). The lake is owned and run by a family business which lends to an exceptionally friendly atmosphere and for many it becomes their summer “happy place”. There will be Windmilers down there every weekend morning (with the flag flying in regular summers on a Saturday morning) and also on several weekday evenings. There are two loops – a red buoy 400m and a yellow buoy 750m. Afterwards, the “Wacka” van serves hot drinks and snacks. There is ample onsite parking and whilst there are changing rooms, most people change at their cars or by the benches.
Regular opening times between May and September 2021 are (noting times may vary as the summer light increases/decreases):
Monday: 5pm – 8pm
Wednesday: 5pm – 8pm
Friday: 5pm – 8pm
Saturday: 6.30am – 11am
Sunday: 7am – 11am
The Lake normally arranges competition races four evenings during the summer – 750m, 1500m or 3,000m distances – but these are suspended for 2020 and 2021 with Covid. One evening late in August there is always an ever-popular night swim with fireworks and the 400m loop is lit up to guide us.
If you are a new swimmer to the lake, you will need to complete a health questionnaire and a short, five-minute induction before your first swim. Either email them on [email protected] or message them via Facebook on https://www.facebook.com/SheppertonOpenWaterSwim. Once the Lake have set up your registration, you will be able to book online (£6 for individual slots, discounts for 10 or 20 blocks).
The club organises intermittent “welcome to open water swimming” sessions which will resume in 2022. Meanwhile, Windmilers have a discount arrangement with the lake’s resident coach – SwimLab – who offer excellent individual one to one and group coaching sessions.
