Swimming with the Viking of Skye event with outdoor swim opportunity
Schedule
Wed Jul 08 2026 at 11:30 am to 12:30 pm
UTC+01:00Location
Pavilion, Tooting Bec Lido | Wimbledon, EN
About this Event
£5 entry book event / + £10 per swim ticket.
We would be delighted to welcome you to our event to celebrate the paperback release of Richard Waters’ inspiring memoir, Swimming with the Viking of Skye.
The event will also include a Q&A and a signing. Swimming with the Viking of Skye will be on sale at the event.
When Rich Waters was diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson’s and soon after learned his young daughter faced a devastating neurological condition, his world narrowed overnight. Searching for something that could steady him, he found himself drawn to the raw landscape and icy pools of the Isle of Skye, where cold water offered a rare kind of quiet.
Please note all £5 entry fees will be donated to Parkinson’s UK.
Outdoor Swim Opportunity: between 10am -2:30pm
+ £10 per swimming ticket
To echo the message in Rich’s book, the healing power of outdoor swimming, we would also love you to join us for an outdoor swim at the lido, should you wish to. You are welcome to swim before or after the event. Tickets to be purchased in advance.
Getting there + Parking: Please check venue details online before travelling.
If you have any questions about this event or if you have access requests, please do let us know how we can support your visit by emailing: [email protected]
Swimming with the Viking of Skye by Richard Waters:
Discover one man’s journey to cold water swimming, and the triumph of the human spirit in the face of adversity.
This memoir captures the story of a man learning to live within a changed reality, a father devoted to his daughter and the quiet power of nature to help us endure what once felt impossible – offering us a vital reminder that strength and hope can still be found, even in the hardest moments.
About the author:
Richard Waters is an international award-winning writer. For fifteen years he worked for Lonely Planet, authoring some twenty books for them, as well as contributing regular stories to The Independent, The Financial Times, The Telegraph, Elle and Wanderlust.
He has co-authored books with Tyson Fury, Ollie Ollerton and Major General Paul Nanson, all of which were Sunday Times bestsellers.
About the Host:
Ella Foote is an author, editor and outdoor swimming expert. She is Editor at Outdoor Swimmer magazine, the world’s only monthly magazine dedicated to outdoor swimming.
Where is it happening?
Pavilion, Tooting Bec Lido, Tooting Bec Road, Wimbledon, United KingdomEvent Location & Nearby Stays:
GBP 6.13 to GBP 16.96







