Adventurer Ross Edgley attempts longest non-stop swim in Scotland's Loch Ness

Ross Edgley, a 36-year-old extreme adventurer from Lincolnshire, UK, is attempting the world's longest non-stop swim in Loch Ness in the Scottish Highlands.

Edgley, who became the first person to swim around Great Britain in 2018, will be swimming non-stop in the loch (lake) for at least 48 hours starting Wednesday. He had previously vowed not to repeat such adventures but has now decided to do so "for a really good cause."

He has taken up the challenge to create awareness about the fragility of the sea forests beneath the oceans. He will be attempting the feat as part of a partnership between Talisker & Parley For The Oceans.

"It's not just about records" the swimmer told the BBC. "There is a much bigger meaning behind this one."

"I always say your reasons to continue need to be bigger than your reasons to stop - and with this particular one we've got a pretty big reason to continue," he said.

"So, hopefully by making a bit of a swimming spectacle of myself - breaking this world record - it can raise awareness for that," he added.

The non-stop swim could take up to 72 hours. He has been preparing for the event for 12 hours every day for weeks now. His training includes swimming 100 km in the waters around the Isle of Skye, the equivalent of swimming three times across the English Channel.

He followed a 10,000-calorie per day diet during his training in Scotland a month ago. He revealed that he had been eating typical Scottish delicacies such as haggis and rowies (savoury bread rolls).

Swimming non-stop in the cool Scottish waters could cause hallucinations and hypothermia. He believes that the challenge would be much tougher due to the unpredictable nature of Loch Ness.

"The water is just completely different because obviously it's so big, it just doesn't get warm," he told PA News Agency.

"Not only that, it's 37 kilometres in length and when you get the winds just funnelling through there you can get these four-metre waves that will just rival even some of the harshest seas," he added.