Ocean Walker Academy – Open Water Swimming Sessions
General Information and Venue Rules

THE OPEN WATER SWIM SESSIONS ARE FOR CONFIDENT OPEN WATER SWIMMERS.
THERE WILL BE ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS AVAILABLE FOR BEGINNERS AND FAMILY SWIM SESSIONS.

SWIM SLOTS
Start times are every 1 hour and the number of participants will be limited to provide adequate outdoor space, management of car parking and for social distancing.

TIME SPENT ON SITE
We are working hard to manage numbers on site, in our car park and ensuring your enjoyment and safety.
Please do not arrive earlier than 15mins prior to your start time. This will allow you time to park, sign in, change and access the water.
Each swimmer is permitted an additional 20 minutes on top of their 1 hour swim slot to spend in our café or go for a walk around the lake and garden area.

ENTERING AND EXITING THE WATER
You will only be able to enter the water at your exact start time.
You can complete your session and exit the water anytime within your 1 hour swim slot.
Please exit the water before your 1 hour slot is over.
Our OWA team will call you in when the 1 hour time slot is over.
Your 1 hour slot is fixed, we cannot allow additional time if you are late due to traffic/other reasons.
Please sign out on your way out at reception.

AGE & ABILITY FOR OPEN WATER SWIM SESSIONS
To book one of the open water swim sessions, you must be a competent open water swimmer.
You will only swim a time and distance capable of your ability.
You will have your own swim kit.
Swimmers under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult.
Swimmers must be 14 years and over for this type of swim session.
*If you have a strong confident open water swimmer under the age of 14, please contact us to discuss options.

FACILITIES AVAILABLE
Changing cubicles.
Rinse off outdoor shower available for use during Summer months.
Toilets (including wheelchair friendly toilet and changing cubicle).
Free onsite car parking for those who have booked - please note that your cars and any valuables are left at your own risk.
Please arrive swim ready (swimming costume/trunks on under clothes, any additional wear can be put on lakeside) - why? This saves you time on arrival, as we have limited changing cubicles.
Please ensure you have suitable equipment to allow you to change following your swim.
Bring your usual open water swim kit - brightly coloured swim cap, goggles, swimwear, wetsuit (if you wear one), towel and changing robe.

FOOD & DRINK
Hot/cold drinks and freshly baked cakes available from reception or our pop up patio bar at busy times.
Swimmers can bring their own sports drink bottle with them for their training session (please ensure this is kept in your kit bag or with you during your swim if you have a tow float).
You are not permitted to bring your own picnics/throw away food/drink items to Ocean Walker Academy during open water swim sessions.
For the health and enjoyment of everyone, do not litter in or around our lake. Please ensure that any food items you consume that creates litter goes in the bins provided (bins found at reception or toilet area) or goes home with you.
You are not permitted to bring and/or consume alcohol or drugs at Ocean Walker Academy.

NON-SWIMMERS
Swimmers may be accompanied by up to 3 non-swimming friend/partner/family arriving together in the same car/vehicle.
Non-swimmers must pay their admission in cash on arrival at reception.
Non-swimmers fee is £3 per person (of any age/size).
Non-swimmers can enjoy a walk around the lake or sit and enjoy a hot drink and slice of cake on our patio (sorry we don’t allow food to be brought onto site) while you swim.
Non-swimmers are not permitted to enter/swim/paddle in the lake.
At least one non-swimmer must be 18 years and over (you can’t leave anyone under the age of 18 unaccompanied on site while you swim).
Children must be kept under close supervision at all times.
Non-swimmers must abide by our rules during their time on site.

SORRY - NO DOGS DURING OPEN WATER SWIM SESSIONS

ISLANDS, TREES AND GENERAL AREAS
Swimmers are not permitted to climb onto the islands (except in an emergency).
Visitors are not permitted to pick plants.
Visitors must not throw grass, sticks, stones or any other item into the lake at any time – anyone caught throwing will be immediately removed from the site.
Visitors may not climb, hang from or carve any tree, rock or item at the venue.
Visitors are not permitted to lift or remove any display items from their position.

NO SMOKING
We are a no smoking/vaping venue, this includes the car park.

EVERYONE is required to abide by our venue rules this is for your safety and your enjoyment. If we feel that someone is not following our guidance during their visit, they will be asked to leave the venue. If this is a non-swimmer, the swimmer will be required to finish their swim so that they can leave site.

BOOKINGS/RESCHEDULING/CANCELLATIONS
All bookings to be made online.
You can book up to 24hrs in advance of a swim slot.
You can reschedule up to 24hrs before your swim slot.
PLEASE NOTE: We cannot make last minute changes to your booking over the phone, if something comes up on the day or you are late for example.
If you arrive late but within your swim slot, you can use the remainder of the time of your booked slot to swim, sorry we cannot extend your session to another time slot.
If you wish to swim for more than 1 hour, you can book one slot after another – where available.
You can manage your bookings from the confirmation email you receive upon booking.
Missed slots are non-transferable.
You cannot transfer your booked slots into the following year.
If you have booked a package you can use that package within the year you have booked.
We will not transfer package bookings into the following year.
We cannot transfer bookings for open water swim sessions/slots/packages to alternative courses.
Refunds for cancelled bookings are not automatic. They will be administered once a month, via the original payment method with the payment processing fee deducted.

Please book your slots with the intention to use them.
One person cannot book all available swim slots within the same 1 hour (for friends for example) each swimmer must book their own swim slot.
If we deem that slots are being booked and rescheduled in a manner that is causing problems for both the OWA team or other swimmers, then you will be notified and in extreme cases you may be banned from booking future swim slots at the OWA venue.

BOOKING A SWIM PACKAGE
Please make sure that prior to booking a swim package, that there are enough available dates for you to be able to use the package.
We cannot transfer package slots through to the following year.
We recommend if you book a package, you go ahead and book your slots as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.
OWA will not refund packages booked and not redeemed in time.
We cannot transfer bookings for open water swim sessions/slots/packages to alternative courses.

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