Writing by Kevin Majoros
Wild swimming is described as the practice of swimming for pleasure in natural waters such as rivers, ponds, streams, rivers and the ocean. The experience can be liberating and for many, even those in urban settings, it is a chance to connect with nature.
Growing up in the Lake District Cumbrian village of Langwathby near the River Eden, Robbie, Calum and Jack Hudson spent a lot of time in and around the water. Those same adventures were also a part of their visits with their grandma in the Scottish Highlands.
The journey into adulthood separated the brothers from those experiences until they were called back to their rural upbringing in an epic 145 kilometer swim over nine days on the River Eden.
The Wild Swimming Brothers were reborn over those nine days and the swim set them on a path that would reconnect them to nature and change their lives forever.
A New Journey Starts with a Farewell Tour
That first big swim was a return home for the three brothers, and they were hoping to reestablish a relationship with the river they swam in as school kids. As they were planning it, they were thinking it would be a farewell to the river – a nod to days gone by.
“It was a humbling and transformative experience,” says Calum Hudson. “Swimming is the literal and obvious way to commune with nature. We knew we had to keep doing it.”
“It started as a way to escape urban pressure, and ultimately we realized we were recapturing something from our childhood,” says Jack Hudson.
“It is always special to meet as a family, but when you swim 145 kilometers together, there is an unspoken bond,” says Robbie Hudson. “We started out with some crazy moments – swirling in a whirlpool, smiling and laughing. By the fifth day of nine, we were swimming in tandem and there wasn’t a lot of talking. It was very special.”
The Wild Swimming Brothers Find New Challenges
Their first swim was actually a tune-up for the River Eden – a 22 minute crossing of the Corryvreckan.
After the River Eden swim was completed in 2015, the brothers set their sights on conquering unexplored bodies of water.
To date their big swims include world-first crossings of the three most powerful maelstroms (the Corryvreckan, Saltstraumen and Moskstraumen), the River Eden swim from source to mouth, a 5-hour/13C swim of the full length of Loch Broom, and a crossing of the Turkish Hellespont, from Europe to Asia.
Each swim has had its own special meaning whether it was to raise awareness for nonprofits such as Swimming Trust and Scottish Wildcat Action or to shed light on conservation efforts to reduce oil drilling in the Falkland Islands and in Norway.
Their point-to-point swim of Loch Broom was finished in memory of their Grandma Wild who was also known as the Wild Lady of Loch Broom. The 12.8 kilometer swim ended on the marshland below Clachan where they gathered at her grave.
The Wild Swimming brothers are now living in three different countries for the first time, but their journey continues to evolve.
Calum Hudson – The Adventurous One
Calum was the first of the brothers to venture into outdoor adventuring as an adult by competing in extreme triathlons and long distance endurance races. He found them to be organized but not very freeing.
In February of this year he took on an Ice Kilometer race in water under 5 degrees Celsius.
“It was an intense experience and I had to go into a meditative state to overcome hypothermia,” Calum says. “The cold water makes me feel even closer to nature. The connection comes when your senses are overloaded.”
A recent move to Singapore for his work with Eventbrite puts his training in a completely different climate. Coming up in October this year, Calum will be participating in the Malaysia Open Water Swimming Series. The swim is 16 kilometers around the Island of Perhentian and the water temperature will be 31 degrees Celsius.
“Going outside and swimming is an inexpensive way to get connected to the natural world. It’s a very soft message for people to discover on their own,” says Calum. “If you are out there experiencing the environment, it is a natural progression to care more about conservation.”
Robbie Hudson – The Sporty Creative One
Robbie has two sides that define him. He is active in Thai boxing, rugby and weightlifting and he is also an artist who works with ink and acrylics.
“They are polar opposites, but they fit well,” Robbie says. “Sports are a really good way to turn something negative into something positive that becomes productive.”
He uses his wild swims to create art that describes the experience and creates a new perspective. When the Wild Swimming Brothers took on Lake Ullswater, Robbie had canvases soaking in the lake during the swim. He built images around the patterns that the water left behind.
Robbie is based in Bratislava and spends three days a week in Berlin for his work as the editor of the sports magazine, BoxRox. He does his swim training in lakes outside of both cities.
“It is a natural step to value conservation when you are closely connected to it,” says Robbie. “In wild swimming you are surrounded by nature, and in survival mode. It builds respect.”
Jack Hudson – The One Who Documents the Journey
Jack is the writer in the family and recognized the need to document the collective experiences of the three brothers. In 2018, he released his first book, Swim Wild: Dive into the Natural World and Discover Your Inner Adventurer.
“I am always looking for stories and there were so many things happening in our lives – the wild swims, family holidays, the loss of Grandma Wild,” Jack says. “I wanted to preserve those stories and encourage other people to connect to nature.”
Jack is living in London and splits his training between pools and Hampstead Ponds. He calls his first open sea swim, Corryvreckan, an intense introduction.
“When I am wild swimming, everything is simplified and my busy brain switches off,” says Jack. “It becomes like a meditative state, something primal where all that matters is breathing.”
Reconnection Swim at Lake Windermere
Coming up in August, the brothers will reunite in the Lake District for a 17 kilometer swim in Lake Windermere. Robbie lost his friend Ben to suicide and this wild swim will be a healing journey to process their grief.
“We will be working with Ben’s mum on suicide prevention across the United Kingdom. Our family, Ben’s family and a wider circle of people will be along for the experience in kayaks, boats and walking the side,” Robbie says. “This will be something physical – a journey through the landscape for Ben.”
Their own mum will also be on hand to watch and may even join in on the swim for a short portion.
“I have been getting these calls from her where she says, ‘oh, I have just been for a swim’,” says Calum. “I think we now have the Wild Swimming Mother. She is proud of our respective achievements.”
Follow the Wild Swimming Brothers online here.
Wild Swimming Brothers Instagram is here.
Check out Jack’s book, Swim Wild here.
Robbie’s swimming artwork is here here.
Kevin Majoros shares stories on sports, ocean adventuring and conservation. He is based in Baltimore/Washington and travels the world as a competitive swimmer.