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Great North Swim postponed due to algae in Windermere

8:51am Friday 3rd September 2010 in News

IN THE SWIM: Competitors in last year’s Great North Swim IN THE SWIM: Competitors in last year’s Great North Swim

THIS weekend's Great North Swim has been postponed because of potentially dangerous algae in Windermere.

The charity swim - the largest event of its kind in Britain - was due to take place this weekend.

But organisers told competitors by text it was off.

A spokesman said: “Unfortunately it has been necessary to postpone the British Gas Great North Swim, which was due to be staged on Saturday and Sunday September 4th and 5th at Windermere.

“This is due to prevalence of blue-green algae and the impact that this may have on safety in the water.

The decision was taken by the Event Safety Group in the interests of safety of swimmers after further stringent water quality checks were completed.

“We are looking at a potential new 2010 date for the Great North Swim and will let you know by email on or before Tuesday September 7.”

Comments(11)

Steve Bott says...
10:57am Fri 3 Sep 10

Health and Safety again! Get in the water and get on with it!

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zaney5 says...
6:32pm Fri 3 Sep 10

Least we'll be able to get to Ambleside and not get stuck in traffic for hours!!!

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wascal says...
10:36pm Fri 3 Sep 10

Damned if they do and damned if they don't! Blue green algae is incrediibly toxic and can make swimmer very ill. If they simply 'got on with it' Mr Bott who would be at fault if 100's of swimmers became ill? As for making your life easier zaney5, without visitors and events like this the Lake District would not be what it is. Am I right in thinking you either work in tourism, moved to the area from somewhere else, or both?

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zaney5 says...
10:47am Sat 4 Sep 10

Wrong on both counts Wascal, I've lived here all my life and work as far removed from the tourist industry as I can!
I have no problem with people coming to the Lake District to enjoy just that - the beautiful scenery, walks, etc.... but over the past few years I have had so many negative experiences with tourists that after a while you just wish the whole **** lot of them would bugger off, go somewhere else and leave us locals alone.

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wascal says...
11:05am Sat 4 Sep 10

Tell me, what would your Lake District be like in 5 years time? No jobs, emtpy villages, closed down pubs and restuarants and families moving away. I agree that tourists can be a pain in the neck but the Lake District does not belong to you and I just because we were born here- next time you go on holiday somewhere I hope you are made to feel really unwelcome.

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Steve Bott says...
10:30am Sun 5 Sep 10

Zaney5

I know where you are coming from but if you did away with the tourists an awful lot of your neighbours and businesses would go under and not be around to enjoy the peace and beauty of the Lakes either!

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zaney5 says...
11:58am Sun 5 Sep 10

I've seen so many people that I grew up with move away from the area because they simply cannot afford to live here because of house prices. We have a severe lack of affordable housing for the local population yet a great percentage of properties are either leased out as holiday accomodation or are used as second homes. (And I know of many that are empty for the majority of the year bar the odd visit on Bank Holidays.)
I am well aware that I live in a tourist area and that the Lake District is well renowned for its beauty and why wouldn't we want to share that with others? I also know of many people that visit the area for exactly that. But it seems that over the past few years your typical tourist has changed and sometimes Bowness feels more like Blackpool than a peaceful spot of natural beauty. I spent many years working within the tourist industry and have met many lovely people. On the flip side, I have had to deal with rudeness on a scale you wouldnt believe. I'm well aware that not all people behave in such a manner but after a while you tend to loose what tolerance you have and start seeing all tourists as annoying, rude and demanding. I know that I am not the only local that feels this way, the general concensus amongst many people I know is "thank god it's september and the summer is over for another year!"
As for hoping that I am made to feel unwelcome the next time I go on holiday.... well I would like to think I would behave with a lot more decorum than some people I have had to deal with in the past.

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wascal says...
1:10pm Sun 5 Sep 10

If you banned tourists the already high house prices would sky rocket! May I suggest some form of therapy to assist with your anti-social tendencies and fear of other people!

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zaney5 says...
1:32pm Sun 5 Sep 10

Only if I may suggest you refrain from making personal comments about someone you quite obviously don't know!

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wascal says...
1:41pm Sun 5 Sep 10

Tongue firmly in cheek, no offense meant!

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Steve Bott says...
10:40am Tue 7 Sep 10

It's a tough old world and tourists are the cross you have to bear if you live in the Lakes! Unless you live near the shops they are easy enough to avoid though!

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