2024 dates: April 13-19 | April 20-26

Price: from £1,695pp

"Our Channel and Distance training weeks deliver serious training, invaluable seminars, and the opportunity to rest and relax in a beautiful, hideaway, boutique resort."

IS THIS TRIP FOR ME?

You don’t need to be a Channel swimmer to come on this tour, but you should be serious about swimming. The aim of the week is to encourage and prepare you for your event, giving you the best possible chance of success. If you haven’t entered an event, but are keen to try some longer swims – this trip is ideal, as the guides will ensure that the week is tailored to suit your needs.

why swimquest?

Location, location, location The Island of St Klement is a swimmers' paradise. With miles and miles of wiggly secluded bays, secret beaches, and a place to swim regardless of the weather, this is a great location for this challenging long distance camp.

An incredible team Our long distance guides are amazing people. Not only have they completed unfathomable challenges themselves; but they are passionate and dedicated to helping you complete yours too, and will go above and beyond to encourage you to push your boundaries.

A thorough, busy itinerary Expect a packed itinerary. Alongside a challenging swim schedule, this trip involves daily seminars, distance swimming skills sessions (such as feeding from a boat), and technique advice.

Cuisine to swim for! We have worked closely with the Meneghello family to provide a fresh, delicious menu for our swimmers. Meals will be served in the Meneghello restaurant, overlooking Palmizana bay.

It doesn’t end there ... We pride ourselves on following our guest's progress. After your trip, we will be delighted to stay in touch, introduce you to others in the SwimQuest network and help you further with whatever advice you need post tour.

TRIP OVERVIEW

On this trip English Channel solo and relay swimmers will have the opportunity to complete a six-hour or two-hour qualifying swim. The trip is designed for people who are training for a long distance event, and those keen to find out if long-distance swimming appeals to them. With a full safety escort and expert advice from the SwimQuest team, you can expect to push your boundaries, meet like-minded individuals and discover your full potential.

SWIMQUEST CHANNEL & DISTANCE HISTORY

John ran the original Channel & Distance training tours back in 2007. Since then, SwimQuest has worked closely with Nick Adams (Channel Swimming and Piloting Federation) and Freda Streeter MBE, and refined these tours to ensure that guests not only return home having completed their mandatory cold water distance qualifiers, but also with a much greater awareness of the preparation and planning required to undertake a successful swim. Alongside the longer swims, the week includes valuable seminars on feeding, kit preparation and support crew selection, as well as swim training and technique sessions.

USEFUL INFORMATION:

Sea temperature: approx. 14-16^oC
Daily swimming: Depending on each individual’s event, swim duration will build gradually throughout the week, culminating in a six-hour swim for those training for a solo English Channel, and a two-hour swim for relays. Two swims per day.
Swimming ability: Designed for individuals training for, or interested in long-distance swims
Are non-swimmers welcome? Yes, non-swimmers are welcome to join the tour and enjoy peaceful St Klement Island, although they must be aware that the focus of the week will be on swimming and that partners and non-swimming guests may not be able to accompany swimmers on the boat for safety reasons.

WHAT’S INCLUDED?

Accommodation at the boutique Palmizana Meneghello resort
A tailored, long distance swimming itinerary
Long distance seminars
Long distance skills sessions (e.g. feeding from the boat, preparing for a swim)
Breakfasts
Lunches
A selection of snacks
Two safety boats
Two swim guides
An accommodation and kitchen team
Swim feeds
Support throughout your Channel journey… we want to keep in touch and help you on your way!
VAT

WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED?

Travel to and from Palmizana Meneghello (guests are advised to fly into Split, we can arrange a representative to meet you there). See GETTING THERE tab for details.
Wetsuits and fins (if required)
Evening meals and any alcohol purchases
Single room supplement (if you wish to stay in a room on your own)
Travel across to Hvar should you wish to visit during your trip

ABOUT PALMIZANA MENEGHELLO

Our base for the week is the Palmizana Meneghello, a unique bohemian retreat nestled away on St Klement Island amongst pines, plans, exotic shrubs and aromatic herbs. Take your pick from colourful bungalows and villas, all built with local stone, decorated thoughtfully in deep vibrant colours, with local sculptures and contemporary artwork. We truly believe St Klement is the ideal base from which you can unwind and explore this incredible archipelago. Spend days swimming and relaxing, and evenings sipping gin and tonics in one of Palmizana’s exclusive waterfront bars. The Meneghello family have a rich history. In 1906, Professor Eugenio Meneghello bought 300 hectares of Croatian wilderness. Three generations on, the Meneghello’s pioneer eco-tourism in Croatia. Dagmar Meneghello, along with her daughters, have turned the island into a unique hideaway, bringing art and nature together in an extraordinary way. This resort has received fantastic press coverage both in The Telegraph and The Huffington Post.

YOUR ACCOMMODATION OPTIONS

The base price for this tour is £1,695, based on sharing a bungalow and taking the smaller bed in that bungalow. If you prefer, you can take a large, main bed in a bungalow for an extra £65, or if you would like your own, private bungalow, there is an additional supplement of £335 for the week. Example bungalows are shown below. If you have any particular questions or preferences, please let us know and we will do our best to accommodate you.

the bungalow set up

Most of the bungalows at the Meneghello resort consist of one main room with a double bed, and an adjoining room, with a single bed. If you would like the larger bed, you can pay an additional £65 supplement (subject to availability). Please note, you will be sharing with one other person of the same sex, unless you specify that you would like to share a bungalow with a friend or partner.

Typical sharing room set ups:

Romina II is a stone bungalow, with two bedrooms (one double, one single). Both rooms have access to the bathroom. There is also a terrace with a beautiful view of southern Palmizana bay. Romina Bungalow SwimQuest Croatia swimming holiday

Romina Bungalow SwimQuest Croatia swimming holiday

The Green Bungalow is a spacious split-level bungalow, with one bedroom upstairs (king-size bed) and a living room with an additional single bed situated on the ground floor. The green bungalow also has a beautiful terrace nestled in the trees. Green Bungalow SwimQuest Croatia

sole use of a Private bungalow:

If you would like a bungalow to yourself, there is a supplement of £335. Your bungalow will have a large bed, a living area, a bathroom and a terrace.

Example:

The violet bungalow contains a king sized bed, plus a living room area. This bungalow has its own entrance, a terrace and air conditioning. SwimQuest Croatia Accommodation

the ITINERARY

There are two planned swims per day based on how you progress during the week. Please realise that the below is a very rough guide and that that we will adapt the week carefully for each individual. Swim guides will advise you each day on what is best for you, but in all cases the main objective will be to encourage you to achieve your personal goals. You’re likely to surprise yourself!

saturday Acclimatisation Swim: 400-800m

We will meet in the late afternoon for the mandatory safety briefing. Topics covered include: swim preparation, swim routes, feeding, prevailing weather, and safety procedures. We will then complete an acclimatisation swim in Palmizana bay. This allows the swim guides to assess your stroke and start preparing an individual plan for you for the week. Following this we will relax and have dinner, with time to discuss the week ahead. (If for any reason guests are unavoidably delayed, the briefing may be deferred to Sunday morning.)

Sunday Swim 1 AM: 1 hour | Swim 2 PM: BOROVAC ISLAND 1.5 hours

After breakfast we will complete the safety briefing (if not completed the night before) followed by the first swim venturing out of Palmizana bay and towards Borovac Island. During the session the guides will be film you above and below the water. This will be a continuing theme throughout the week. Regular filming is an invaluable tool, and at the end of the tour you will receive all your films for future reference. The afternoon swim will be a slightly longer swim near Parjanz bay, allowing you to think about the stroke session.

Monday Swim 1 AM: Vlaka bay (1.5 hours) | Swim 2 PM: bay to bay (2 hours)

After breakfast, we will head east out of the bay, towards Vlaka Island. Your first swim will be in Vlaka’s sweeping bay. After sufficient rest and lunch, we will then start from Palmizana and swim west into Palmizana’s neighbouring bays. In the evening we will host a seminar on ‘mental preparation’ for a Long Distance swim over drinks and nibbles.

Tuesday Swim 1 AM: st klement’s south coast (3-4 hours) | Swim 2 PM: REST

Formentera SwimQuest Channel Swimming Training

Today we will run one long swim, which will enable you to experience an extended time in the water and out feed regimes into practice. The afternoon offers a chance to relax prior to a long swim the following day. We will continue with the informal seminars on topics such as swim preparation (logistics), training schedules, feeding programmes and support crews.

Wednesday Swim 1 AM: COAStline otok marinkovak (3-4 hours) | SWIM 2: north coast 2 hours

An early breakfast, after which we will start the long swim on St Klement’s northern coastline. Your swim will be a mixture of timed swimming in each bay, plus bit supported sections between each bay, so you get a chance to practise feeding from the boat, and can add some variety to your qualifier. The experience you have gained during the week will give you the best opportunity to see what you can achieve! For the solo Channel swimmers in training, it will be the mandatory six-hour qualifying swim, and for all other guests we will have agreed a time to work to as your longest swim. All of you will be supported all the way by the guides with appropriate feeds and words of encouragement.

Thursday Swim 1 AM: 6 hour swim as per Tuesday (weather dependent) or relax with short recovery swims up to 1 hour

Today will be a relaxing day of recovery after the long swim on Wednesday. If the weather dictates, we may use today to complete the long swim if this isn’t possible on Wednesday. The rest day will include a late breakfast and the chance to chill. We also use today to chat collectively about the long swim, continue with seminars and advice and share suggested improvements to existing training programmes. Lunch will be arranged somewhere on the island with time to visit the local towns, but the key to the day is to relax and enjoy your surroundings.

FRIDAY SWIM AM: SHORT BAY SWIM

As this is the last day, there will be a short pre-breakfast bay swim by the hotel as you will need to pack and prepare for your boat back to Split.

GETTING TO PALMIZANA MENEGHELLO

trip start / finish times

The trip starts at 4pm on Saturday, however should you need to arrive slightly later due to ferry connections that is fine - please let us know your arrival time in advance.
The trip finishes after breakfast on Friday morning, however many guests choose to get a very early ferry (6.35am) back to Split from Hvar so that they can catch a late morning flight. Do take a look at the ferry timetables in the links below.

travel to palmizana

Travel to Palmizana resort is simple. Fly to Split, catch a bus or use the taxi service we can recommend to you, who will take you to the catamaran, give you your tickets, and put you on the catamaran to Hvar. You will then be shuttled across to Palmizana on a 10 minute speedboat.

FLIGHTS TO SPLIT

Flying to Split is a two-hour flight from the UK. Airlines such as easyjet and British Airways provide regular flights from a variety of UK airports. For the best flight information and prices, please refer to www.skyscanner.co.uk or www.kayak.co.uk.

1. Transfer from Split airport to the harbour:

For this, there are 3 options:

- We can recommend Milivoj and Suzana (father and daughter) for this transfer as they are efficient and cheaper than the taxi’s outside the airport. They can meet you at Arrivals, take you to their taxi, and on to the harbour for your ferry. They can also buy your ferry ticket in advance so it is ready for you on arrival! You will then pay the driver on the day for the ferry ticket and taxi ride. If a number of you are arriving at a similar time, they also have a larger vehicle, so it’s a great way to club together on the taxi cost. If this is of interest, please contact Suzana on mirjana.ivardic@yahoo.com, and say you are a SwimQuest guest and give your flight details. Please inform them of the ferry time you are aiming for and that you would like them to buy your ticket. If they think a different time is more suitable (due to any local events which may cause delays, etc) they will let you know. If you take this option, you pay the driver for the taxi (and ferry ticket if you would like them to book one).Please note, if you buy your ferry ticket yourself in advance, please let Suzana know so they don’t buy you an extra one!
- Catch a bus - this is a longer journey, it can be around 1.5 hour
- Get a taxi from outside the airport – this takes 45mins-1hour (around €35-40)

2. Ferry/catamaran from Split harbour to Hvar – this takes around an hour (€15-40, depending on service):

Please take a look at the two providers below to check their sailing schedules for your date of travel to Hvar. If you decide to use Milivoj and Suzana from above, as mentioned, they can buy a ticket for you for the most suitable ferry time, based on your arrival at the airport. If not, you can buy your tickets in advance online.

- - Jadrolinija - https://www.jadrolinija.hr/en/ferry-croatia
  - Krilo - https://www.krilo.hr/en/

3. 15 MINUTE SEA TAXI:

The hotel sea taxi will collect you from Hvar harbour – this takes 15 minutes (approx. €15pp). The hotel will know when to collect you based on the ferry you catch, so please let us know your planned journey and we will pass this on. If you have any delays along the way, please let your guides know (contact details will be sent nearer the time). The cost of this is added on to your hotel food/drinks bill at the end of the week.

leaving on the friday morning:

There is an early morning ferry from Hvar to Split on Friday morning at 6.35am. We can ensure you are taken to Hvar in time for this ferry if you are getting a morning flight. The cost of the transfer service from St Klement to Hvar will be €15pp (billed to your room in resort).

What do I pack?

At least two Swimming costumes
Wetsuit - optional (although not allowed for traditional English Channel Solo or Relay Swimmers)*
Two Pairs of swim goggles – one clear and one tinted
Tow float (required) - if you haven’t got one yet, you can find a great range from Swim Secure HERE and receive 15% off with code: 15SwimQuest23
Towel(s)
Small daypack/rucksack to use for your personal equipment/clothing during the day
Sandals/aqua shoes/flip flops – for getting wet
Insect repellent (lemon based non-Deet repellents are good)
Insect bite relief
Warm hat, fleece or warm jumper, tracksuit trousers/sweat pants
Waterproof coat/jacket
Waterproof watch
Sun hat, sun cream and glasses
Travel insurance
USB stick for your swim stroke video (these will also be uploaded to an online folder for you to access)

Wetsuits*

Anyone that requires a swim specific wetsuit, can hire or buy ta swim wetsuit from www.mywetsuithire.co.uk. Please feel free to call mywetsuit hire and let them know you’re coming on a SwimQuest, they will be happy to advise you. If you do hire a wetsuit, please allow sufficient time for at least 3-4 swims of 1-1.5km to acclimatise to wearing the suit. Feel free to contact the office if you have any queries.

Please note: as of 2018, we have moved the location of this tour to Croatia, which explains the references to Formentera in these reviews. If you’d like to read Croatia specific reviews, do have a look at the REVIEW tab on the Croatia page too.

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CHANNEL & DISTANCE WEEKS