A wild swimmer who plunges into ice-cold lochs has been nominated for the Gaelic Awards.
Calum Maclean, who has his own TV series on BBC Alba, has been put up for the Sports Award this year for promoting outdoor swimming.
“It’s good fun to be nominated – it shows people like what I do,” said Calum, who was born in Australia and grew up in the Highlands.
“Scotland has some of the most beautiful and stunning scenery and it’s great to be able to show it off on TV,” added the 30-year-old, who presents Dhan Uisge (Into the Water).
His favourite wild swim is the Falls of Lora, near Oban, a tidal waterfall where Loch Etive fills with seawater.
“It’s quite dangerous and is like being on a rollercoaster as it spins you around. I also enjoyed swimming in Loch Morar, Scotland’s deepest loch and the deepest freshwater body in the British Isles, which goes down to 1017ft.”
Calum thinks nothing of filming his wild swims in March and April – with or without a wetsuit depending on how long he’ll be swimming – when he says the water outdoors in Scotland is “painfully cold”.
“I swam in Loch Coire na Poite, a little loch up a mountain, making it Scotland’s steepest loch. There was still winter ice on the edge of the loch – that was amazing, like swimming under a Vienetta.”
Despite his adventures, Calum says he’s not a great swimmer.
“I’m a strong swimmer but not fast – I’ve never been a compet- itive swimmer and some fast kids could probably beat me in a race,” added Calum, who grew up speaking Gaelic in Inverness and attended a Gaelic school on Skye.
“The popularity of outdoor swimming has rocketed in Scot- land, where we have a variety of amazing places to go out walking in the woods and go for a swim. I’m pleased about this award as it hopefully will get more people interested in learning about the Gaelic culture and language.”
●THE awards take place on November 19 at the Glasgow Marriott Hotel. The closing date for nominations is September 25.
Find out more at www.scottish-gaelicawards.co.uk .
