The Peak District has U-turned on a warning telling Britons not to enter water after a backlash from outdoor enthusiasts.
In a post on Facebook, the national park's authority had told people visiting the Peaks to never enter its waters "unless as part of a supervised event".
However, wild swimmers criticised the policy, saying a "prohibitive" approach did not work and alienated millions who enjoyed open water swimming.
The authority has now deleted the post, replacing it with one that encouraged people to "#FloatToLive".
Chairman of the Caving Crew, Tim Dobson, told The Times: "The RNLI doesn't tell people to stay out of the sea. They teach 'float to live'. They put up flags. They explain rip currents."
"They accept that people are going to get into the water and they help them do it without dying.
"The fire service doesn't tell people to never light a candle, they sell smoke alarms. Say what you want people to do. Not what you don't want them to do."
The 35-year-old added: "Nobody has ever stopped people from doing something enjoyable by telling them not to do it."
People have been warned against entering the water
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The recent hot weather has attracted many to open water swimming, resulting in at least 11 deaths in South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, Cornwall, Hampshire, Warwickshire, Cheshire, Pembrokeshire, Lincolnshire and Lancashire.
In its original post on social media, the authority said: "Wild Swimming causes issues with safety, private ownership, the impact on wildlife and littering during busy seasons. Swimming is not permitted in any reservoir in the Peak District.
"Many rivers are privately owned, have fishing rights or are designated for the protection of wildlife. Blue-green algae can occur in bodies of water and causes health risks to both humans and animals.
"We advise that you do not enter water at any time in the National Park, unless as part of a supervised, organised event. If you see someone in trouble in the water, call 999."
The Royal Life Saving Society has issued a plea for everyone to "stop and think" before getting into the water in response to the deaths, most of whom were children.
A teenage boy became the 11th person to die in a water-related incident as temperatures remain high during a heatwave.
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A spokesman for the authority said water-based activity is a "core part of the Lake District's identity", adding they "have the appropriate infrastructure to support these activities".
They said: "We appreciate that many experienced wild swimmers enjoy the activity all year round.
"Our recent messaging, however, is to inform casual visitors or those looking for a quick way to cool off during the current heatwave about the often unseen hazards of open water and impacts on local habitats and wildlife.
The spokesman confirmed the authority's "long-standing stance" on wild swimming was that visitors should only enter open water as part of a supervised event and activity.
The Peak District attracts hundreds of wild swimmers a year
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Data published by the National Water Safety Forum (NWSF) on Wednesday showed 202 accidental water-related fatalities occurred last year.
The majority (57 per cent) occurred at inland bodies of water such as rivers, lakes, reservoirs, quarries and lochs.
A spokesperson for the NWSF said that while it is too early to say whether the number of water-related deaths during this heatwave is "unusual" hot weather often correlates with a rise in accidental drownings.
Last year, the majority of incidents took place in August, the data showed.
According to the Office for National Statistics, 87 deaths in England and Wales were recorded as resulting from drowning and submersion in natural water in 2022, with 96 in 2023 and 73 in 2024.