Hever Castle Swim Series

The Hever Castle Swim Series offers distances of 1609m, 2500m, and 5000m, held on September 26, 2026, within the private lake of the Hever Castle estate in Kent. Registration fees range from 54 to 78 EUR, covering the race entry and a finisher medal. Participants are required to follow British Triathlon regulations, including the use of a valid race pass or membership for the event. The swim takes place in a freshwater river-fed lake, with water temperatures typical for the English countryside in late September. Swimmers should prepare for a course that, while sheltered, requires navigation around the estate's historical features.

Historical surroundings and nature

As you navigate the course, the landscape reveals the rich history of the Tudor era. The estate served as the childhood home of Anne Boleyn, the ill-fated second queen of Henry VIII, who lived here before being sent to the Habsburg Netherlands in 1513. While swimming, you pass near the 13th-century gatehouse, which still protects the oldest working original portcullis in England. The water itself is overlooked by the Italian Garden, commissioned by William Waldorf Astor in the early 20th century to showcase his extensive collection of classical statuary. Further afield, the local geography includes the Bough Beech Reservoir, a known site for migrating ospreys, and the nearby Chiddingstone Castle lake, which has long been a notable habitat for wild carp and bream. Throughout your stroke, you are effectively moving through a private sanctuary where King Henry VIII once carried his own personal security locks during his frequent, cautious visits to the noble families of Kent.