Wonderful Water Days Out This Summer in Nairn
Guest Blog – Nairn Beach Adventures by Neil Mapes
Author’s website for linking: https://neilmapes.substack.
Nairn is blessed with some of the best beaches in Scotland but when was the last time you saw Nairn from the sea?
Sunny warm longer days are now here again in Nairn and that means more people enjoying our lovely coastline for family activities, sports and more. Neil Mapes is an Outdoor swimming coach, trail runner, dinghy sailor and all round sports enthusiast who publishes a weekly newsletter called Nairn Beach Adventures. Here Neil shares some of his key activities and water-based highlights you can enjoy in the weeks ahead.
Daily sea swimming
Several informal local groups self-organise sea swims and with well over 100 local swimmers now taking to the water you can easily find a swimmer for company on the beach. The swimmers tend to swim within an hour of high tide every day from the central beach access ramp, or nearby. Nairn was recently featured in Jules & Greg’s wild swim https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/
If you would like the support of an open water swim coach then Neil can be contacted directly at [email protected] for 1:1 coaching, group sessions and kayak-supported adventure swims starting from Nairn Beach.
Nairn Triathlon – June 2nd 2024
This fabulous local event used to have a pool-based swim leg but it is taking place in the sea off East beach this year. This will prove to be a great spectacle with triathletes transitioning onto the bike leg at the harbour and again for the run up and down the links. The team behind the Nairn Triathlon are still looking for enthusiastic volunteers to assist with the marshalling of the event, if you are interested please contact: [email protected]
If you want to take part there are still spaces for the super sprint here: www.entrycentral.com/nairntri
Please head to the harbour from 0900 on the day to cheer on the triathletes.
Nairn Water Sports Open Day – June 8th (link to the sailing club fb page and/ or calendar event entry!)
Another highlight of the watersports calendar is also approaching with various watersports activities and clubs coming together for the Water Sports Open Day. Here is a summary from the Nairn Sailing Club secretary:
“Come along to Nairn Harbour for a celebration of Nairn Water Sports! It will be a great family day out at Nairn harbour, with boat trips, a parade of sail, lifeboats (as well as an RNLI stall), and with showcases of kayaking, coastal rowing and paddle boarding. There’ll also be entertainment from live music and a bucking bronco, refreshments, engagement with local charities, as well as stalls with home baking, tombola, and a range of local crafts and companies.”
Look out for local posters around the town and to reach out to the organisers please contact nairnsailingclubsecretary@
Please head down to the harbour from 11am on the day to join in the fun.
Nairn Splashpad
It has been great to see families and children enjoying the wonderful Nairn Splashpad. A few adults have been spotted enjoying the cooling sprays too, whilst taking in the stunning views. It is such a great summer resource for the town and visitors alike, and is a fitting legacy for a little boy whose life was cut so tragically short (link to team hamsih)
Whether you are cooling off in the splashpad, taking to the water as a sailor, kayaker, rower, SUPer, (link to paddlebliss Nairn) kite-surfer, triathlete or outdoor swimmer, or simply supporting the water sports open day or enjoying walking the dog on the beach we hope you love Nairn’s Beaches as much as we do. (links to beach pages and walks pages)
Stay connected to Nairn
To keep up to date with all activities and events at Nairn Beach please consider subscribing to Nairn Beach Adventures.
To support more people to enjoy Nairn Beach please consider donating and supporting Nairn Beach Wheelchairs to reach their £15,000 fundraising target.
To join Neils local group on “Nairn Beach Adventures” click on the link below: https://neilmapes.substack.com/
To share and follow Neils published stories click on the below: https://neilmapes.medium.com/
