NEW VENUE: Howl Multisports re-opens The Haven!

The Haven is back: open water swimming returns on 23 August 2026.

After a period of closure, The Haven will officially reopen for open water swimming, with experienced NOWCA venue operator HOWL Multisport taking the helm.

For the swimming community that knows and loves this secluded lake in Feltham, its return is about more than simply reopening a venue. It means protecting access to a valued stretch of open water and giving swimmers a safe, supported place to get back to doing what they love.

And for NOWCA, it represents exactly what our mission is about: More water. More people. More safely.

Keeping The Haven open to swimmers

Hidden away at Chattern Hill Community Orchard in Feltham, The Haven is a peaceful open water swimming spot surrounded by trees and greenery. Its location offers a pocket of calm on the edge of London, with trails around the lake providing opportunities to walk or run alongside a swim. Water quality is regularly tested and swimmers tap-in and tap-out using the NOWCA safety system.

The venue was formerly operated by Love Open Water, and when it closed, there was a real possibility that swimmers could lose access to the lake.

Rather than see an established swimming location disappear, NOWCA began looking for the right operator to give The Haven its next chapter.

Finding someone to run an open water venue isn’t simply a case of finding somebody willing to open the gates. The right operator needs to understand the water, the responsibility that comes with managing swimmers in an open water environment and, importantly, the community that forms around a venue.

That search led to HOWL Multisport.

A proven operator in the NOWCA network

HOWL Multisport already operates its successful open water swimming venue at Lakeside Country Park in Eastleigh, Hampshire.

Established in 2016, the Eastleigh venue joined the NOWCA network in 2024 and welcomes everyone from people taking their first steps into open water to experienced distance swimmers and triathletes. Sessions are overseen by qualified open water lifeguards and the water is regularly tested, with coaching also available for swimmers looking to develop their confidence or technique.

That combination of experience, safety and an inclusive approach to swimming made HOWL a natural fit for The Haven.

But bringing a closed open water venue back into operation takes time.

Over the past 18 months, NOWCA has worked alongside and supported HOWL Multisport to get permission from local authorities to re-open The Haven.

That work reflects the wider role NOWCA plays within its venue network. Affiliated operators have access to operational guidance, safety and venue management systems, training, best-practice resources and ongoing support designed specifically for open water venues.

The result is a new beginning for a much-loved swimming location – and one that keeps The Haven within the wider NOWCA community.

A familiar lake, a new chapter

When the gates reopen, the venue will operate as HOWL – The Haven.

Swimmers will once again be able to enjoy the secluded lake at Challenge Road, Feltham, whether they’re there to train, build their open water confidence or simply spend some time swimming outdoors. The venue will remain part of the NOWCA venue network, with the NOWCA safety system supporting swimmer check-in and check-out during sessions.

For HOWL, The Haven represents an opportunity to take the experience and community-focused approach developed at Eastleigh and bring it to another group of swimmers.

For NOWCA, its reopening demonstrates something equally important: growing access to open water isn’t only about finding new lakes.

Sometimes it’s about protecting the places swimmers already have.

NOWCA’s venue network is built around helping operators provide safe, supported environments for open water swimming, with its systems and venue support provided to affiliated venues free of charge. Membership fees are reinvested to support venues and the wider open water community.

Supporting The Haven through its transition to a new operator is part of that same commitment.

Safety is top priority at this venue. All sessions will be fully lifeguarded, giving swimmers confidence and reassurance every time they enter the water, whether they are new to open water or regular, year-round swimmers.

Facilities at the venue include free parking and changing rooms.

For news and updates, follow their group on the NOWCA Wild app: HOWL – THE HAVEN

NOWCA Wild is free to download on iOS and Android.