A MAN is hoping to swim the length of the Cumbrian coast from the Solway estuary to Silverdale.
The swim will be more than 90 miles, which 48-year-old Wayne Singleton reckons he can complete 'between seven and ten days depending on tides and weather conditions.'
Wayne aims to cover an average of ten miles a day with six hours in the water and six hours rest.
The athletics coach, mountain leader, and radio presenter had hoped to swim across the Channel before the age of 50 after completing the length of Windermere last year.
However there are a lot of people wanting to do this at the moment, so in the meantime, Wayne looked for an alternative challenge.
"This particular route hasn't been done before as one swim," said Wayne.
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"This will have a defined entry and exit point so that it can become the focus of a challenge for others in the future."
Wayne will start at Bowness on Solway, swimming into the River Eden and out into the Irish Sea, finishing at Silverdale where there is an access road near Holgates caravan park.
He will be supported by kayak paddlers and will have more substantial boat support for the final section of the journey beyond Barrow, around Walney island and across Lancaster Sound.
Wayne is aiming to do the challenge next September. He will need business sponsorship for the attempt, donations for the charity, and practical help from paddlers and people living near the coast who might be able to accommodate him overnight.
So far he has the Cumbrian Tea Company, and Kalisan UK of Milnthorpe as sponsors.
It’s a difficult adventure but Wayne is driven by a passion to help Brathay Trust, a social enterprise that helps thousands of young people in need every year.
“It’s all about supporting young people in Cumbrian communities who find themselves in challenging circumstances," he said. "I have seen first-hand the impact that this charity has on young people in my own community.”
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