Dive in and help save lives at sea with the RNLI’s series of south west swims

Running from May to September, six iconic coastal swims will invite participants to dust off their wetsuits for a life-saving cause. Funds raised will help sustain essential lifeguard services and volunteer lifeboat crews around the coast.  

2026 RNLI swim events: 

Castle to Castle Swim: Join swimmers in Falmouth on Saturday 23 May for a mile swim between two historic landmarks.  Castle2Castle

Buoy to Beacon Swim Run: For those seeking an extra challenge, enter a dual-discipline event with a 1km swim followed by a 5km run. Event takes place on Sunday 7 June in St Agnes.  buoy2beacon

Around The Mount Swim: On Saturday 11 July, take on a 1.5 mile swim around the iconic St Michael’s Mount from Marazion beach. AroundTheMount

Mullion Island Swim: A new event for 2026! Take part in a mile open water swim around Mullion Island on Sunday 12 July. MullionIsland

Clovelly Swim: On Sunday 2 August, swimmers can tackle a 1 or 2 mile open water, out-and-back swim in Clovelly. Clovelly

Lyme Splash Swim: Take on the 2 mile challenge from Lyme Regis to Charmouth on Sunday 6 September. LymeSplash

Dave Nicoll, RNLI Fundraising and Partnership Lead said: ‘There’s something for everyone in this swim series. By joining an event near you, you can make the most of stunning coastal landscapes, community spirit and a shared goal of supporting the RNLI’s lifesaving work. 

‘All sponsorship raised helps ensure volunteer crews have the training and equipment they need to answer the call, day or night.’

If you’re ready to make a splash this summer, you can view and sign up to all events here

Notes to editors:

• Age restrictions apply.

• All participants must provide and wear a wetsuit at these events.

• Participants should be intermediate or experienced open water swimmers.

• All participants must attend the safety briefing before the start of the swim.

• Please see individual event pages for further safety information and entry requirements.

• Interviews available on request.

• The Royal National Lifeboat Institution is a UK and Ireland charity whose purpose is to save lives at sea.

RNLI media contacts

For more information, please contact Annabelle Spiers on [email protected] or Emma Haines, Regional Communications Manager on [email protected], or RNLI Press Office on 01202 336789 or via [email protected] 

RNLI online

For more information on the RNLI please visit rnli.org. News releases and other media resources, including RSS feeds, downloadable photos and video, are available at the RNLI News Centre rnli.org/news-and-media.