Fifty fine poets and prose-writers invite you into the world’s lakes, lidos, rivers and oceans.

Watermarks: Writing by Lido Lovers & Wild Swimmers is an anthology of exceptional new prose and poetry to celebrate the life aquatic, brought together by The Frogmore Press and Pells Pool in Lewes (the UK’s oldest fresh water lido).

Between May and September 2016 we called for work by writers who find inspiration in or near lidos, lakes, sea pools and other wild swimming places. The writing had to be short (a maximum of 1000 words for prose) but supple. We sought work full of quick turns, graceful strokes or surprising dives into the depths: writing which had us catch our breath, laugh in delight or shiver a little.

Nature and life writings were welcome, but had — like fiction and poetry — to emphasise scene, story and sensation.

You can find out more about our writers and their previous work in the contributor biographies section.

Cover by Neil Gower & book design and typesetting by Raphael Whittle.