Journal

One of the many things that struck me about Denmark was the infrastructure, opportunity and access to open water swimming. Whether docks, lakes, rivers or seas, fresh or salt water there are fantastic facilities - typically open 24/7 - to allow people of all ages to safely and easily enjoy swimming.

The Nordhavn quarter in Copenhagen is a dockside regeneration typical of many European cities. Except here they’ve turned the dock fronts into urban beaches, incorporating ‘ghat’ steps that descend to the water enabling swimming, activation and other activities such as canoeing and paddle boarding. Many new homes have decks or steps directly accessing the water.

At the Vestre Fjordpark in Aarhus facilities included a lido, diving platforms, a beach, obstacle course, climbing wall and goals for canoe polo, all safely coexisting in the same lake. Changing facilities, a cafe and steps up to an elevated viewing platform make for a social hub.

Kastrup Sea Bath in Copenhagen enables even young kids to safely swim in deep seawater sheltered within a circular platform overlooked by parents. The deck incorporates showers, seating and diving platforms for older swimmers.

Ostre Sobad in Silkeborg has two conjoined circular decks enclosing different depths of water and a beach facilitating swimming for different ages and abilities.

Naturally all of these facilities are completely free and easy to access - literally on your doorstep in places like Nordhavn. I’m sure it fosters a much more mature relationship with swimming, exercise and getting outdoors embedded from a young age. What a dream it would be to have facilities like this in London.