Entries for the Kessock Ferry Swim open on Valentine’s Day! – and when you are booking your place, you can also pre-order this specially-commissioned booklet telling the history of the swim, which I am currently working on:
This is a really interesting local history project, and I am thoroughly enjoying the research and particularly the interviews I have been doing over the last wee while.
The Kessock ferry worked the route between South Kessock in Inverness and North Kessock on the Black Isle for over 500 years. It stopped running when the Kessock Bridge was built in 1982. The swim follows the route of the old ferry, and covers a distance of about 1200m.
The Kessock Ferry Swim was a well-known local challenge, and it was revived just last year by the charity Àban. Àban have commissioned me to write this short history, which will collect together historical documents, information and photos alongside people’s memories.
You can find out more about the revived swim (including some fantastic photos and video) on the organiser Àban’s website here: https://aban.scot/kessock-ferry-swim/entry-info This will also be the page for entries after the 14th Feb.
Even if you are not a swimmer, if you live in or near Inverness I would encourage you to mark off the date (Sunday 25th June 2023) and come down to watch this great local event – and of course copies of my history of the swim will be available on the day!
Jennifer Morag Henderson 