Our open water development retreat is all about building confidence in open water swimming. It is perfect for swimmers who might be apprehensive about swimming in the sea or who lack experience swimming outdoors. September is also the ideal time of year to start a cold water swimming journey! The waters are at their warmest but in Scotland the temperatures rarely get above 16 degrees. Most of our swim spots are sheltered coves, some are more exposed and exhilarating. All cater for all abilities and you can do as much or as little as you like. Our swims are not about speed, or distance necessarily, and are more about challenging ourselves to explore and swim in beautiful wild surroundings. 
The waters up here are warmed by the Gulf Stream but wetsuits are advised in the cooler months (Nov-April) and for longer swims. Most of our swim spots are off the beaten track so we advise sturdy footwear and/or swim shoes. 
We take a boat trip to Fingal’s Cave, one of Staffa’s spectacular sea caves immortalised by Mendelssohn in his Hebrides Overture and a walking tour around the serene and spiritual island of Iona, the birthplace of Christianity and burial place of 48 Scottish Kings including MacBeth. 
At the house we have a choice of activities to include yoga and massage or you can just kick back and relax in the wood-fired hot tub.
Please note when booking, if you get a message saying No Availability try reducing the number of tickets for that room and booking an additional room.