Devon and Cornwall wild swims
Splaaaaaash!
Cornish Tipi Holidays
Wild SwimmingFree!
A luscious, chalk-green, spring-fed quarry lake on private land, part of Cornish Tipi Holidays. Wooded cliffs and banks. Very deep and 200m long. Canoes, islands, fishing, landing bay. You need to be staying to swim: tipis from ﾣ275 for a mini break.
Colliford Lake and Dozmary
Wild SwimmingFree!A huge moorland lake, the highest and largest in Cornwall. Open access on the west side with chalky, shelving beaches. Dippers, wagtails and sand martins. No trees.
St Nectan’s Kieve
Wild SwimmingFree!A tall, slender Waterfall or Gorge at the head of a wild woody dingle. It falls into a high basin, flows through a circular hole and drops into a small plunge pool, 1.5m deep, 5m across. Prayer flags and shrine room. Small tea room in hermitage above..
Spitchwick Common
Wild SwimmingFree!Peaty water, clean from the mountain, this is the most popular and accessible Dart swimming location, especially in summer. Also known as Deeper Marsh, it has been a bathing place for generations. Grassy flats lead to rocky river shore, deeper on far..
Respryn Bridge
Wild SwimmingFree!Wooded National Trust estate riverside walk. Some sections 1.5’2m deep. Swim against the current. Wooden bankside deckings (for fishing). Beachy shingle area by footbridge. Popular at weekends.
Bodmin Parkway
Wild SwimmingFree!Still in the Lanhydrock Estate, this swim is off the original driveway to the main house from behind the station. Very woody and secluded, like a tropical jungle. Shallow rapids on inside bend, deep on outer bank for a plunge and swim against the cur..
Holne Pool
Wild SwimmingFree!Small Waterfall or Gorge with sunbathing rock and large pool in secluded Holne Woods, close to Holne and its pub.
Golitha Falls
Wild SwimmingFree!Beautiful stream of young river Fowey runs through ancient oak woodland. First 700m wide path provides access to shallows for paddling. At top of cascades rough tracks continue 200m down to shady secret plunge pool at bottom. Swim against the current..
Chagford Lido, Teign
Wild SwimmingFree!River-fed swimming pool with cafﾎ set in fields on outskirts of tiny Chagford. Largest outdoor pool in Devon. Upstream you can swim at shady weir pool behind town.
Wellsfoot Island
Wild SwimmingFree!Wonderful wooded island with red sand beach shelving into deep river bend with Holne cliff towering up behind. Rusty, peaty water. Velvet sand. Deep water under cliff. Access only feasible from river’s L bank.
Salmon Leaps, Teign
Wild SwimmingFree!Long river pool in woods beneath Castle Drogo. About 1.5m deep. Weir and footbridge. The Teign cascades into three Victorian square stone plunge pools, each about 1m deep and smooth lined. Great for a pummelling massage!
Mel Tor Pools
Wild SwimmingFree!Small Waterfall or Gorge pool
Great Torrington
Wild SwimmingFree!The Torridge at Torrington Common is fast flowing and pebbly but mainly shallow (1m) with some deeper holes. Woody, steep and wide the river is the setting for many of Tarka’s adventures.
Cullever Steps
Wild SwimmingFree!Small plunge pool in narrow rocky valley below Scarey Tor. Some grass for picnics and large rocks for sunbathing. Small Waterfall or Gorge. 1.5m deep. 15m long.
Shilley Pool
Wild SwimmingFree!Small, dammed plunge pool in brook at edge of moor. Shallow (1m) but set beneath flat rock rapids with nice picnicking grass alongside. Paddling for children. Sheltered and balmy in summer. Park in South Zeal.
Rockford Pools
Wild SwimmingFree!Rockford is tiny hamlet next to the tumbling wooded East Lyn above Watersmeet. Good real ale pub and series of small pools with low rock cliffs to jump from. Shady and dark, but good fun.
Long Pool, Watersmeet
Wild SwimmingFree!Watersmeet is a famous National Trust area of wooded river walks. There is a Waterfall or Gorge with small plunge pools by the teashop but 1.5km further on is Long Pool, a rather eerie long ravine and pool overgrown with ferns and oaks, set under a W..
Bude Sea Pool
Wild SwimmingFree!Beautiful tidal pool which curves under the cliffs on the North Cornwall coast. Semi-natural construction and filled twice daily at high tide with sea water (so totally untreated and unheated). Approx 90m long, variable width. Slopes and ladders for ..
Meldon Quarry
Wild SwimmingFree!Old water filled quarry, with swing rope on the southern side!
Double Waters, river Walkham and Tavy
Wild SwimmingFree!Magical river swimming in the woods
The Trident Challenge
Wild SwimmingFree!Now in its eigth year the Trident Challenge is an 800m (approx) sea swim around a triangular course off Gyllingvase Beach Falmouth. This event is organised by Firefighters at the Falmouth station costing £5.00 and raises money for Cancer Research/Gyl..Topsham to Turf Swim 2013
Wild SwimmingFree!Enter description for your listing. Topsham to Turf Swim 2013 – a mile and half swim in aid of local community charity . Details and entry forms at http://www.michelmores.com/swim Please join us and support our swim
dartington estate
Wild SwimmingFree!Above the weir there is a beautiful pool with easy access. Possible to swim and wade a long way upriver through the Dartington Estate. Several access points all the way up
Seaton (Devon) Beach
Outdoor swimmingFree!Seaton is a resort town in Lyme Bay on the south coast of Devon. It is a shingle beach approximately one kilometre wide, and the River Axe Estuary enters the sea through a small harbour at the eastern end of the bathing water.
Beer Beach
Outdoor swimmingFree!Beer is in Seaton Bay on the south coast of Devon. It is a pebble and sand beach, approximately 1.2 kilometres wide, backed by cliffs and the village of Beer.
Sidmouth Town Beach
Outdoor swimmingFree!Sidmouth Town is on the south coast of Devon. It is a pebble beach, approximately 900 metres wide, with rock groynes backed by the promenade and town. The Sidmouth area extends for five kilometres inland to include Sidford and Sidbury.
Sidmouth Jacobs Ladder Beach
Outdoor swimmingFree!Jacobs Ladder is on the south coast of Devon. It is a pebble beach, approximately 490 metres wide, backed by cliffs. A path along the cliff connects the beach to Sidmouth Town beach.
Ladram Bay Beach
Outdoor swimmingFree!Ladram Bay is on the south coast of Devon. It is a small beach resort, approximately 145 metres wide, backed by cliffs. Ladram Bay is a picturesque secluded cove with a sand and shingle beach characterised by two high red rock sea stacks which make the scenery particularly spectacular and popular with sea birds. It is one of the highlights of the East Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).
Budleigh Salterton Beach
Outdoor swimmingFree!Budleigh Salterton is at the mouth of the River Otter on the south coast of Devon. It is a pebble beach resort, approximately one kilometre wide, backed by the promenade and cliffs.
Sandy Bay Beach
Outdoor swimmingFree!Sandy Bay is on the south coast of Devon. It is a sandy beach resort, approximately 400 metres wide, backed by cliffs.
Exmouth Beach / Estuary
Outdoor swimmingFree!Exmouth is on the south coast of Devon at the mouth of the Exe Estuary. It is a large sandy beach resort, approximately 1.8 kilometres wide, backed by the promenade and town.
Dawlish Warren Beach / Estuary
Outdoor swimmingFree!Dawlish Warren is on the south coast of Devon and is a long sand spit extending across the mouth of the Exe Estuary. The beach resort is approximately 950 metres wide, and is backed by sand dunes, and a nature reserve designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).
Dawlish Town Beach
Outdoor swimmingFree!Dawlish Town is on the south coast of Devon. It is a sandy beach resort, approximately 650 metres wide, close to the town and cliffs.
Dawlish Coryton Cove Beach
Outdoor swimmingFree!Dawlish Coryton Cove is on the south coast of Devon. It is a remote sandy cove, approximately 200 metres wide, backed by cliffs.
Teignmouth Holcombe Beach
Outdoor swimmingFree!Teignmouth Holcombe is on the south coast of Devon. It is a sandy cove, approximately 650 metres wide, backed by cliffs and the railway line.
Teignmouth Town Beach
Outdoor swimmingFree!Teignmouth beach is close to the mouth of the Teign Estuary on the south coast of Devon. It is a sandy beach resort, approximately one kilometre wide, with a pier, backed by the promenade and the town.
Shaldon Beach / Estuary
Outdoor swimmingFree!Shaldon is at the mouth of the Teign Estuary on the south coast of Devon. It is a sandy beach, approximately 1.3 kilometres wide, close to the village of Shaldon.
Ness Cove Beach
Outdoor swimmingFree!Ness Cove is on the south coast of Devon, just south of the mouth of the Teign Estuary. It is a remote, secluded sandy beach approximately 950 metres wide, backed by cliffs.
Blackpool Sands Beach
Outdoor swimmingFree!Blackpool Sands is on the south coast of Devon. It is a privately owned crescent of coarse golden sand and shingle, approximately 650 metres wide. The beach is set in a sheltered bay amongst evergreens and pines in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). It is surrounded by steeply rising fields and woods, and there is a stream that enters the sea at the southern end of the beach.
Slapton Sands Monument Beach
Outdoor swimmingFree!Slapton Sands Monument is on the south coast of Devon. It is a shingle beach, approximately one kilometre wide, backed by Slapton Ley Nature Reserve.
Slapton Sands Torcross Beach
Outdoor swimmingFree!Slapton Sands Torcross is on the south coast of Devon. It is a remote shingle beach, approximately one kilometre wide, backed by Slapton Ley Nature Reserve.
Mill Bay Beach
Outdoor swimmingFree!Mill Bay is on the West bank of the Kingsbridge Estuary on the south coast of Devon. It is a privately owned rural sandy bay, approximately 400 metres wide, surrounded by hills. A stream flows along the south side of the beach to the sea.
Salcombe North Sands Beach
Outdoor swimmingFree!Salcombe North Sands is on the south coast of Devon on the East bank of the Kingsbridge Estuary. It is a sandy beach resort, approximately 180 metres wide, surrounded by cliffs. A stream flows onto the beach and flows to the sea.
Salcombe South Sands Beach
Outdoor swimmingFree!Salcombe South Sands is on the south coast of Devon on the East bank of the Kingsbridge Estuary. It is a sandy beach resort, approximately 180 metres wide, backed by cliffs. A stream flows across the beach to the sea.
Hope Cove Beach
Outdoor swimmingFree!Hope Cove is on the South coast of Devon. It is a remote sand and rock beach, approximately 370 metres wide, surrounded by cliffs.
Thurlestone South Beach
Outdoor swimmingFree!Thurlestone South is on the south coast of Devon. It is a remote sandy beach, approximately 250 metres wide, backed by sand dunes. Rock pools are exposed at low tide. There is a stream flowing across the beach to the sea.
Thurlestone North Beach
Outdoor swimmingFree!Thurlestone North is on the south coast of Devon. It is a remote sandy beach, approximately 250 metres wide, backed by sand dunes. Rock pools are exposed at low tide. There is a stream flowing across the beach to the sea.
Bantham Beach / Estuary
Outdoor swimmingFree!Bantham is at the mouth of the River Avon on the south coast of Devon. It is a fairly remote sandy beach, approximately 550 metres wide, backed by sand dunes.
Bigbury-on-Sea South Beach / Estuary
Outdoor swimmingFree!Bigbury-on-Sea South is close to the mouth of the River Avon on the south coast of Devon. The beach is approximately 450 metres wide, and at low tide Burgh Island is accessible across the causeway.
Bigbury-on-Sea North Beach
Outdoor swimmingFree!Bigbury-on-Sea North is close to the mouth of the River Avon on the south coast of Devon. The beach is approximately 450 metres wide, and at low tide Burgh Island is accessible across the causeway.
