Saturday 18th May| 12:00
Adult (age 18+): £50
(or £55 after 31/01/2024)
Derwent Isle 1.5K Swim
A classic in the Keswick Mountain Festival sporting line-up, our Derwent Isle 1,500m open water swim.
Enjoy swimming in the beautiful Derwentwater under the shadow of Catbells and views of Skiddaw and the Borrowdale valley.
The 1,500 metre option is great for the more experienced open water swimmer and is one lap of Derwent Isle. Ages 18+ only.
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What’s Included
- Free photograph
- Electronic chip timing
- KMF swim hat
- Event t-shirt (unless you choose to donate cost of T Shirt to our Catbells Conservation project with Fix the Fells)
- Hydration will be provided at the finish line
- Your sports entry includes access to Big Top Live Music, daytime Tent Talks, and all activities ALL WEEKEND (Friday to Sunday)
event location
The Festival Village is located in Crow Park adjacent to The Theatre By The Lake close to Derwentwater. Head to the shore on Crow Park where the Event will start.
Address: Lakeside
Keswick
Cumbria
CA12 5DJ
Water Quality
Derwentwater has a history of Blue Green Algae presence in the water and over the past few years, with warmer winters, the bacteria which causes this is not always killed off over the winter months. It is therefore possible for blooms to occur as the temperatures rise in the Spring. (Many of you will remember that in 2019 the Keswick Mountain Festival swims were cancelled due to very late blooming of the algae. This is something we do not wish to see repeated.) We work closely with National Trust and the Environment Agency who help us to monitor the water in the run up to the Festival and inform us of any potential blooms.
Blue Green Algae is present in many water courses and not all forms are toxic. The greatest risks of a toxic algae are for animals and young children who drink water containing the algae and, in the case of dogs in particular, may pick up algae on their coats and then lick their coat, thereby consuming even more.
Blue Green Algae forms as a localised bloom, meaning that large parts of the lake can be unaffected even if it is present in some areas. Even when present, it is entirely possible to swim in Derwentwater without ever coming into contact with the algae.
What do we do if there is blue green algae in the water at the time of the Festival?
We will test the water, with support from the Environment Agency, in advance of the Festival and we will identify and monitor where the blooms are. If we find there are blooms of Algae in the water we will conduct a full analysis and amend courses if needed, so we are satisfied that the routes used in the KMF swims and the triathlons are safe for swimming.
BIO SECURITY MEASURES
What is Bio Security?
Biosecurity means taking action in order to minimise the introduction or spread of invasive non-native species (INNS) and diseases.
Why should we worry?
The freshwater resources of Cumbria – its many tarns, lakes, rivers and becks – are of great ecological and economic significance. We love spending time in and on them so protecting them is something we all need to take responsibility for. Freshwater INNS are able to ‘hitchhike’ on our equipment, footwear, clothing and boats. When we move to a new river, tarn or lake, a species may be transferred and may become established, often having devastating effects.
What can we do to help?
As keen outdoor and sports enthusiasts we all need to help protect the landscapes we love. The bio security at the Festival will involve just a little extra cooperation and organisation. You will be required to ensure that your wetsuit is clean and dry before you arrive and that it is cleaned before you leave. The purpose of this is to do our bit to try and stop the spread of invasive aquatic species.
The Race Process
You will ensure that all equipment to be taken into the water is clean and dry before you arrive on the race morning.
After the race and before removing anything else from the transition area, go to the washing point with your wetsuit, goggles, swim cap etc, and your race number.
Check your equipment for obvious vegetation or other aquatic life and remove anything found. Wash all above mentioned equipment in the fresh water and tubs provided.
Once done to their satisfaction, a steward will mark your race number to indicate that your equipment has been cleaned. When you later leave the transition area with all of your other equipment show your appropriately marked race number to the transition exit steward who will check it against your bike number tag in the normal way.
Compliance with this process is essential to ensure that we are able to pursue our sport in such beautiful surroundings. For more information on the issues please visit http://www.cfinns.scrt.co.uk/.
ROUTE
All of our open water swims take you out toward Derwent Island in a clockwise direction and then back in towards Crow Park. The beauty of Derwentwater and its surrounding views of Catbells, Skiddaw and the Borrowdale Valley will make this swim a memorable experience for all participants. Our 750 metre option will turn around before reaching the island.
A deep-water start will take you across to the shores of Derwent Isle, before swimming clockwise alongside its shores overlooked by the historic Island. Finish under the gantry back at the Festival base with an excited crowd ready to cheer you home. Please note: water temp for this event will be between 10oC – 14oC and you should prepare yourself accordingly. We recommend pre-event training in the water.
KMF swims will operate under British Triathlon Rules with regards to water temperature and the wearing of wetsuits. Under these rules the water temperature must be 14oC before wetsuits become optional, you are required to abide by these rules, which can be viewed here. The exception to these rules is that we will allow the wearing of gloves or boots whatever the water temperature.
CONTINGENCY PLAN
It is possible that events and courses at KMF may need to be amended at short notice due to weather issues, water quality or levels, road conditions or roadworks.
By nature, many of these factors are not possible to know well in advance. For each event there are a number of alternative options available which can be implemented at short notice. The organisers and race directors will always have athlete and spectator safety as the highest priority, and within that context will seek to provide the best possible experience.All sporting events would be impacted if the KMF Festival Village has to be closed. In this instance, as long as circumstances allow, all starts and finishes would be relocated to Lake Road and Lakeside Car Park and the events operated as smoothly as possible.
The prevailing wind direction is from the South West (i.e. along Derwentwater). There are options available to us to keep the event operating in high winds – keeping the swim in the lee of Derwant Isle, and starting and finishing from the beach adjacent to Keswick Launch. These would be exhausted before any cancellation decision.
Ultimately, we would consider cancelling the swim if the weather/water conditions are extreme, and there is a risk to participants safety. This also applies if the conditions are such that the water safety team are compromised in any way, and cannot provide assured safety cover to the event.
Athlete guide
Your athlete guide will be emailed to you approximately 2 weeks before the event date, and also available to download here.
Please make sure you read this prior to coming to the event, it will answer most if not all of your questions.
Prizes will be awarded for 1st, 2nd and 3rd Male and Female Overall and Male and Female Junior. We will also award 1st Place Male and Female prizes for Senior, V40, V50, & V60+.