WATER WORKS
Adventure calling Fenwick Ridley is a Corbridge-based adventure swimmer and coach with a bucket list worthy of a BAFTA. Elysia Fryer chats to the 35-year-old about life on the water, doing his bit for the environment and completing the ultimate ‘Tyne Travel’ journey Video calling has become a huge part of our everyday lives. What was once a quick catch up between friends and relatives, has become quite the norm when it comes to business. It’s a busy Wednesday in the home office and I’m setting up for a virtual chat with adventure swimmer and open water coach, Fenwick Ridley. My current situation is a desk, a cup of tea and a notepad. The other end of our call is where the story is at. Fenwick has pulled up on the river banks with his paddleboard and his poochy companion, Moona. Fenwick and Moona have spent the morning scouring the river to ‘do their bit’, collecting plastic on a paddleboard. As we settle down to chat, I can hear the wonders of the great wildlife in the background. There’s something very exciting about speaking to someone about what they do best - while they’re doing it! “I was supposed to be having a chilled day today,” Fenwick laughs. “But I just can’t do it. I’ve got to get out and do something. Moona and I have been out on the paddleboard collecting some plastic.” After we’ve compared our very contrasting office set-ups, we’re ready to talk up the good stuff; from childhood swimming clubs to ice swimming adventures - and everything in between. Fenwick’s passions lay in life on the water, whether it’s adventure swimming, coaching, paddleboarding, ice swimming or marathon swimming. Everything he knows and loves involves the water, which has led him to winning medals at the Winter Championships, setting up his dream
18
luxe-magazine.co.uk
business and working towards representing his country at a higher level. “I’ve been swimming since I was a kid,” he says. “I completed my first mile when I was 7. I then went on to join a swimming club in my early teens, which led to teaching at my local leisure centre. “When I turned 20 I was ready for my next challenge; and when my old coach encouraged me to get out and take to the open water, I never looked back. “I ended up turning to marathon open water swimming - doing anything between 600 and 800 miles per year. By the time I reached my early 30s, I’d already done quite a lot of racing, so I started pursuing adventure swimming - which is the most exciting part of it for me.” Behind the scenes, when he’s not setting himself challenges, entering competitions and ticking off his bucket list, his day job includes running his business, H2oTrails. “It is most definitely my dream job - being able to share my passion for the water and the great outdoors is so special,” he says. Fenwick’s ‘office’ is in a picturesque spot on a freshwater lake in Northumberland. Sweethope Lough is the home of H2oTrails. “It’s so great to share the lake with the local community and our ever-growing client base,” says Fenwick. “I’ve got some very tiny clients, right up to 86-year-old clients. It’s so vast, it’s wonderful. I’ve got some of the fastest kids in the UK training with me at the moment, some of who will go on to compete nationally. It’s great to be able to share my knowledge; I love to see other people catch the bug like I did. Something just clicks and it’s a very special thing.
“One of my favourite things to do is teach people how to swim in icy waters in the winter months, so we’ve got a lot of that coming up as the seasons change, which I’m really excited about.” Many of us have memories of swimming lessons at school. For me it’s working towards my badges - mini milestones to keep me going. That, paired with holidays spent in the water, but admittedly, my open water experience is limited to a mid-sunbathing afternoon dip in the Med. Just how does one take the plunge and dive into the wonderful world of open water swimming? With an understanding of the health benefits of open water swimming - both mentally and phsycially - I know it’s something we should all have a go at, but just how do you teach that - and how did Fenwick make the jump from the swimming pool to the open water? “I just got to the point where I wanted to try something a little bit different,” he explains. “It was a new challenge for me at first, but then it got to the point where I had to get my fix. I started to realise how much I needed the open water for head space and fitness. It really did sculpt me as a swimmer. “I did what a lot of people do when they take up a new sport. I spent a fortune on
all the gear before I had any idea about what I needed. “Now I have about 90 suits. I’m an ambassador for Blueseventy, the brand behind the suits that I race in, so I work quite closely with them, and thankfully I know what I’m talking about now,” he laughs. For those of us looking to get out in the open water, coaching is key. It all comes down to the first experience, he tells me. If something goes wrong, you’ll struggle to get yourself back in the cold water, but with the right kit and a trusted coach, you’ll be able to pick up all the tools you need to enjoy what nature presents to us. “I remember every single second of my first open water swim,” Fenwick recalls. “I went out with some triathletes. Because I was already a strong swimmer, they just left me to my own devices, but it was a real struggle. I was wearing a kayaking suit, so I had it all wrong before I even stepped foot in the water. I couldn’t get my breathing right, I panicked, they swam off and it was absolutely terrifying. “But because I’m generally confident in the water, I got used to it and carried on. “Luckily, my second swim was in a local river and it was absolutely amazing.
OCT20
