Training is now taking place (April)in Ellerton lake (for the ultra hardy! cooooollllldd!!!! about 10deg on 13th April) on Wednesday evenings, 6pm.
The Great Swim Series (also do London & East Anglia) - world class elite races & thousands of the masses....televised...great events. Salford & Windermere are much earlier in the summer this year, so may be cold!
Great Salford Swim (Manchester) - 15 May
Great North Swim (Windermere) - 18/19 June _ DDM bus going
Great Scottish Swim (1/2 mile or 2km)- 24 Sept
Epic Events Series in the Lake District - choice of distances (500m, 1 mile, 3.8km).
Epic Coniston - 29 May
Epic Derwent Water 19 June
Epic Ullswater 10 July - some of us doing 3.8km event
http://www.epicevents.org/section.php/31/1/open-water-swims
Tri Northumberland run a series of OW swims, do them the day before their triathlon events. Really nicely run, friendly events
Tri Northumberland QE2 Challenge Swim (1500 or 3000m) lake swim - 4 June - QE2 Lake, Ashington
Tri Northumberland Challenge Swim (1500 or 3000m) lake swim - Ladyburn Lake, Drudridge Bay - 25 June
Tri Northumberland Couples Challenge Swim (1500 or 3000m) sea swim - 23 July - Newbiggin-by-the-Sea
http://www.trinorthumberland.co.uk/2011-events
The Two Bridges at Stockton,
1 & 3 km - haven't seen date announced yet but is usually weekend before the August Bank Holiday weekend.
Alcatraz 24th July.
Joanne and Elaine are rumoured to be training hard for this event!