Bog Snorkelling

Two lengths of a 60 m Welsh peat-bog trench in mask and snorkel — no conventional swimming strokes allowed.

👥1 per team🌤outdoor
Photo · Wikipedia

What is Bog Snorkelling?

Bog snorkelling is a Welsh curiosity sport devised in 1976 in Llanwrtyd Wells. Competitors swim two lengths of a 60 m trench cut through a peat bog using only fin propulsion — no conventional swimming strokes are allowed and the head must remain in the murky water except when turning. The annual World Bog Snorkelling Championship draws entries from across Europe.

Quick facts

Category

Traditional & Cultural Sports

Type

Individual

Players

1 per team

Where played

outdoor

Country of origin

🇬🇧 United Kingdom

Estimated origin

1976, Llanwrtyd Wells, Wales (Gordon Green)

Olympic

No

Popularity

niche

Sources & provenance

Last verified 2026-08-24.verified