Great Swim

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Event Name	Great Swim
Dates	June - August
Locations	Windermere, Suffolk, Loch Lomond, London
Type	Swim
Distances	1/2 Mile, 1 Mile, 2 Miles, 5KM
Established	2008
Website	greatswim.org
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The Great Swim is a national open water swimming event in the United Kingdom, which has had over 22,000 participants. The event was started in 2008 with a one-mile Great North Swim in Windermere. Taking its inspiration from the world's biggest half marathon the Great North Run, Great Swim uses the formula of mass participation events to provide a focus and a challenge for which the individual can train.

Most events feature an elite race for women and another elite race for men, combined with a series of "waves" of other swimmers with up to 200 swimmers in each wave. The course is GPS calibrated to ensure that the exact distance is covered and each competitor is electronically timed, either with a chip strapped to the ankle, or with chips stuck on the cap issued to each swimmer.

Although not specifically a charity swim, many participants have raised money for a range of charities. Specific charity partners are nominated for each event (and sometimes are able to provide entries) but no restrictions are in place around fund-raising.