THE Great North Swim will be moving to a new home on Windermere next year after outgrowing its current venue.

After ten successful years at the Low Wood Bay, organisers of Europe’s biggest open-water swimming event have announced it will take place at Brockhole over the weekend June 8 to 10. The event attracts almost 10,000 swimmers each year.

Organisers say the new location, set in 30 acres of terraced gardens, will allow participants and spectators to have an improved Great Swim experience, with a vibrant event village incorporated into the planning.

Alex Jackson, Director of the Great Swim Series, said: “Since 2008 the swim has more than doubled in size, which demonstrates the popularity of the sport.

"The appetite for new events and distances at the Great North Swim has increased year on year and we have now outgrown the facilities at the Low Wood Bay Hotel.

“We’d like to thank the team at the Low Wood for their fantastic support over the last decade.

“Our new location at Brockhole will allow us to continue to improve the Great Swim experience for all who come to Windermere to take part and spectate.”

Brockhole is situated between Ambleside and Windermere and is a not-for-profit attraction run by the Lake District National Park Authority and will also offer improved access and increased parking capacity.

Brockhole General Manager Sam Mason said: “We are delighted that the prestigious Great North Swim has chosen Brockhole as its new home on Windermere.

“We believe that working together we can help to grow this fantastic event even further, creating a real outdoor festival environment, with participants and visitors being able to stay at the event site for much longer, enjoying all that Brockhole and our stunning setting has to offer, and relishing the atmosphere of one of the premiere outdoor events in the calendar.

“With lots more great food, drinks, activities and entertainment for all ages we hope to help the Great North Swim become an even more fantastic whole weekend experience for participants and spectators alike.”

The Great North Swim will offer seven distances for a range of ages and abilities across three days.

There will be half-mile, one mile and two mile swims taking place, as well as a 5mk and the 10km marathon distance.

The Swim250 distance, suitable for ages eight and above, is also back by popular demand.

Last year, more than 300 people took part in the first ever Great North SwimRun, an exciting event based on the concept from Sweden, where teams of two embark on a seamless journey across the landscape, taking on land and water with three different distances on offer.

SwimRun will return to the Great North Swim this year, with entries opening soon.

A full, detailed programme of events will be available on the Great Swim website in the coming months.

The Great North Swim will be the first event in the Great Swim Series taking place across the UK in 2018.