The family-friendly Swim250  is perfect for anyone aged eight and over. The 250-metre distance is the equivalent to 10 lengths of a standard 25m pool and is a great choice to dip your toes into open water swimming.

A great introduction to outdoor swimming,  ½ mile is the equivalent to around 32 lengths of a standard 25m pool. The average completion time is 20 minutes. Entrants must be 12 or over.

Suitable for swimmers of all abilities, the mile is great to get a feel for the open water. Completed in an average of 40 minutes, enjoy a leisurely breaststroke while taking in the scenery, or kick into a crawl for a faster time.

Open water swimmers looking for a longer challenge should turn to the two-mile event, equivalent to around 125 lengths of a pool. It’s a challenge, but achievable for most abilities.

Five kilometres to swimmers is what a half marathon would be to runners. This distance equates to 200 lengths of a pool, and cut-off times apply: you must get halfway in the hour and finish within two.

Only open-water Olympians need apply! The 10K is suitable for confident swimmers who can commit to the training. You must be able to swim the distance unaided within four hours.