A 61-YEAR-OLD man will swim the length of Ullswater next month to celebrate the recovery of the Lake District after Storm Desmond.
Chartered civil engineer John Mather will swim the 7.25-mile length of the lake on Saturday July 30.
He intends setting off from Glenridding at 9.30am in the morning and aims to reach Pooley Bridge for early evening. He will be supported the whole length by a two man crew in a row boat.
John, a passionate swimmer who lives at Thursby, near Carlisle, said he is delighted to be able to help promote the recovery of the Lake District and will also raise cash for the Wigton Baths Trust.
The trust aims to secure and develop the baths, which were flooded when the nearby river burst its banks, for the use of people of all ages in Wigton and the surrounding areas.
John has set himself a challenge to swim the length of the 13 longest lakes in the Lake District that allow swimming. The lakes range in distance between Brotherswater, which is the smallest at half a mile in length, and Windermere which is the largest at 10.5 miles.
For completeness sake, he is also rowing and walking around the other four big lakes that do not permit swimming.
He started the challenge in 2014 and hopes to complete it in 2016. He has already swum the length of nine lakes including Coniston Water (5.25miles) and Bassenthwaite Lake (4 miles).
John is writing an illustrated book recounting the story of his Lake District Challenge.
The Just Giving page for his swim can be found at: https://campaign.justgiving.com/charity/wigton-bathstrust/johnmatherullswaterswim
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