Starting Strong at Waveney River Centre

Starting Strong at Waveney River Centre

We’re excited to share that Waveney River Centre will be the official starting point for an incredible new wild swimming event – the BLUE Waveney Swim, launching Sunday 29th June 2025.

In partnership with Beccles Lido and their new venture BLUE Events, this unique 12km open-water swim invites swimmers to journey from Burgh St Peter to Beccles through the beautiful and serene River Waveney.

Swimmers will set off from our access ramp here at Waveney River Centre and follow the tidal flow through the stunning Waveney Valley, with food stops at Aldeby and North Cove, before finishing at the iconic Beccles Lido bridge.

“We are always looking to improve and better our facilities at Beccles Lido, and to do so we need to raise funds.

We’ve had a great group of cold-water swimmers over the last three winters, and we’ve been inspired by their stories of sea swimming and distance swimming, including many channel and Lake District swimmers.

So, we wanted to create an event here that would appeal to and attract these people to the area and hopefully encourage more to enjoy the wonders of open water swimming.

We’d like to thank Tingdene for allowing us to use the site and access ramp.”

— Matt Day, Managing Director of Beccles Lido

This isn’t just an event for elite swimmers, anyone aged 16 and over with a passion for open-water swimming is welcome to join. Thanks to a helpful tidal push, the 12km course is more accessible, and there’s even a three-stage relay option for those who’d prefer to split the distance with teammates.

Event Details:
Start: Waveney River Centre, Burgh St Peter
Finish: Beccles Lido
Distance: 12km (relay available: 4.8km / 3.3km / 3.9km)
Entry: £100 individual / £160 per relay team
Includes: Goodie bag and transport to the start (via Grebe Coaches)
Age 16+ | Tow float required

Prefer poolside to riverside?
If open-water isn’t your thing, don’t forget we’ve got a heated swimming pool on-site, free for berth holders to enjoy. Perfect for sunny days with the family. View the timetable below, and to book a free slot, email [email protected] or call 01502 677343.