If you’re training for an endurance event this summer and looking for somewhere to base yourself, the area around Crudwell puts you within reach of two very different competitive experiences: open water events at Lake 32 in the Cotswold Water Park, and Tough Mudder South West at Badminton Estate in August. Here’s what to know about each before you book.
Lake 32: what it is and what races happen there
Lake 32 is an outdoor activity centre and open water swimming lake near Cirencester, set within the Cotswold Water Park. It’s a clear freshwater lake with an on-site café, warm showers, changing facilities, and a dedicated safety team in the water. For regular swimmers and paddlers it’s a pay-as-you-go or membership venue, open seven days a week through the warmer months. For competitors, it’s also the host venue for several organised race events throughout the season.
The main competitive events at Lake 32 in 2026 are:
- Cotswold Big Swim Festival (13 June 2026) — open water swim festival with distances from 750m to 5km, plus a 4x200m team relay. Rolling starts from 8am. Chip timing, medals and finisher goodies for all. Suitable for all abilities.
- 51fiver Cotswold Standard Triathlon (17 May 2026) — a standard distance triathlon using Lake 32 for the swim leg, with a flat bike and run course through surrounding Cotswold villages. One of the faster standard distance courses in the UK.
- Cotswold 113 (7 June and 12 July 2026) — a middle distance triathlon (half-iron distance) with a 1.9km swim at Lake 32, a flat two-lap bike course, and a 13-mile run through the water park area.
If you’re not racing but want to train in open water before an event, Lake 32 runs pay-as-you-go swim sessions throughout the week. An induction session is available if you’re new to open water swimming and worth booking in advance, particularly in peak summer.
Check the Lake 32 events calendar at lake32.co.uk before you travel, as the site closes fully on race days.
Tough Mudder South West: Badminton Estate, 15 August 2026
Tough Mudder South West takes place at Badminton Estate in South Gloucestershire. A historic parkland more usually associated with the horse trials, given over for a weekend to mud, obstacles and a few thousand people who signed up before fully thinking it through.
Distances available are 5K (12+ obstacles) and 15K (20 obstacles), plus Kids by Spartan (1K, 1.5K and 3K). Camping is available on site for the weekend. Spectators are welcome. The course uses the estate’s rolling parkland and woodland trails, which makes for a more interesting course than a flat field alternative, but also means varied terrain underfoot.
A few things worth knowing before race day:
- Register early. Tough Mudder events regularly sell out, particularly at popular venues like Badminton.
- Check the Tough Mudder website for wave times and what’s included in your entry — the 5K and 15K have different start structures.
- If you’re camping on site, booking camping separately through the Tough Mudder ticketing page is required.
- Kids by Spartan runs alongside the main event and is useful if you’re bringing children who want to get involved.
Tickets and full details are at toughmudder.co.uk.
Staying at Pettifers before or after
Crudwell is well placed for both events. At Pettifers we have 18 bedrooms including family rooms and two accessible ground floor courtyard rooms, plus Mayfield Cottage next door if you’d prefer a self-catering setup with more space. Dogs are welcome in selected rooms throughout the hotel.
For athletes, it’s worth thinking about the post-event recovery as much as the race itself. A comfortable bed, a hot meal at Asha’s, and the walled garden to sit in the following morning is a reasonable argument for not driving home the same day.
If you’re competing at Lake 32 on a Saturday, the surrounding area also gives you something to do on Sunday. Malmesbury is five minutes away, the Cotswold Water Park has walking routes, and the Cotswold countryside around Crudwell is good for a slower morning than race day.
Book with us directly at pettifershotel.co.uk for the best available rates, or call our team on 01666 815060. Explore accommodation options including Mayfield Cottage if you need more space.
