Wild swimming is becoming increasingly popular in the UK, as our summers have brought with them higher-than-usual temperatures and even the odd record-breaking heatwave.
As the weather heats up, popular seaside sports such as Bournemouth and Brighton become overcrowded and expensive, so wild swimming spots offer a chance to avoid the crowds while taking in what are often idyllic surroundings.
Even better, you can combine a dip with an overnight stay at some of the most tranquil spots across the UK, from the Cornish coast to Scottish lochs.
To help you in your search for the perfect scenic swim this summer, we’ve compiled a list of some of the best wild swimming stays in the UK.
From glamping at a private lake to a cottage stay by a relaxing river, here are 10 of the best picks – just make sure to pack your swimwear.
Pheasant Hut, Norfolk
Cannonball straight into the cool waters of the eight-acre lake that sits at the heart of Wild With Nature, an organic farm with six shepherd’s huts to hole up in. Our favourite is the Pheasant Hut, a snug bolthole for two with views of the lake and its tempting wooden pontoon. Need to warm up after a swim? Book the farm’s “roving hot tub” for £30 per night.
From £130 per night, sleeps two
Troytown Farm, St Agnes, Isles of Scilly
If you’re picturing waking up, unzipping your tent and jumping straight into the ocean, set up camp on Troytown Farm, where a grassy camping meadow runs right down to the Atlantic. Life goes at a slow pace on the car-free island of St Agnes, one of the Isles of Scilly found off the Cornish coast – campers spend their days sea swimming or renting SUPs and kayaks from St Agnes Watersports next door. You can also swim across to the island of Gugh, joined to St Agnes by a sand bar at low tide.
£12 per person per night, children £6.50
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One Cat Farm, Ceredigion, Wales
Named for Mogul the ginger tabby, the first animal resident of this lovely glamping site, One Cat Farm in north Wales is home to four cosy wooden cabins, dotted around a lily pad-strewn swimming pond. There’s little to do here besides take a dip, pootle about in the rowing boat or warm up after a swim in a wood-fired outdoor bath. If you’re craving salt water, Aberaeron South beach is a five-minute drive away.
From £165 per two-night stay for a cabin sleeping two
Myrtle – the Shepherd’s Hut, Wye Valley, Wales
Everything is perfectly squared away inside this small but perfectly formed shepherd’s hut. Moroccan-themed Myrtle is hidden in a little Welsh glade with views of the River Wye, and a path straight down to the water leads to your own private swim spot complete with a rope to help you clamber in and out. There’s a hot shower on hand post-swim, and a barbecue means you can feast on a riverside supper once you’ve worked up an appetite.
From £105 per night, sleeps two
Farr’s Meadow, Dorset
A lush meadow, fringed by woodland and the burbling waters of the River Stour – this is old-fashioned camping at its best. Farr’s Meadow is a tent-only site with proper showers and compost loos in converted horse boxes, but otherwise this campsite is simplicity itself. Head to the river for a lazy morning swim – the campsite can also arrange fishing if you fancy catching your own supper to cook over a firepit come evening.
From £35 per night for a pitch sleeping two
Ditchling Cabin, Sussex
This charming cabin is a wild swimmer’s dream. Ditchling perches on the edge of its own lake, with a wide wooden platform floating over the water, no less than three pontoons and a diving platform to jump in from, plus a motley selection of rowing boats and rafts for you to punt around on to your heart’s content. The living room hides two little box beds suitable for children, and upstairs there’s a huge double bed and a bath with lake views for the grown-ups.
From £350 per night, sleeps four
Cornish Tipi Holidays, Cornwall
Tall white tipis, some in a large meadow, some in their own private forest glades, encircle a glassy green swimming lake in this magical hidden valley in north Cornwall. A pontoon and a row boat make it very tempting to spend all your days messing around on the water at Cornish Tipi Holidays, although the coast is only 10 minutes away by car. The tipis are on the basic side but do have rugs and fire pits, and there are communal hot showers.
From £80 per night for a tipi sleeping up to six
West Lexham, Norfolk
If your idea of a swimming staycation includes all the bells and whistles, take your pick from the rather luxurious tree houses, bell tents and cosy cottages at West Lexham. The tree houses on this wooded estate are especially lovely, complete with log stoves, squashy double beds and a communal outdoor kitchen with a pizza oven. The swimming pool is closed during the pandemic, but the reed-lined lake, where you might share company with herons and otters, is open for swimmers.
From £90 per night for a bell tent sleeping two
Eilean Shona, Loch Moidart, Scotland
“A wild rocky romantic island it is too,” JM Barrie wrote of Eilean Shona – the author was inspired to write Peter Pan after a stay on this real-life Neverland off the west coast of Scotland. Now you can stay in one of eight self-catered cottages dotted around car-free Eilean Shona and go swimming in the clear, cold waters of Loch Moidart, seeking out hidden coves along its shores or jumping in from the island’s pier.
From £1,100 per week for a cottage sleeping two
Tarn Foot Campsite, Cumbria
Find this simple, no-frills camping meadow near Ambleside, in a peaceful pocket of the Lake District. It has just 25 pitches and might not be rich in amenities – “just a toilet, a tap and tarn” as one camper described it – but it’s perfect for back-to-basics camping, and is a mere minute’s walk away from the calm waters of Loughrigg Tarn. Go for a cooling dip on a balmy summer evening or while away a day on the tarn’s shore, where littler swimmers can hunt for tadpoles.
£8 per person per night. Call: 01539 432596
Kudhva, Cornwall
Located “where the land meets the sea” on the northern Cornish coast, Kudhva offers amazing views of the Atlantic with accommodation including tipis, their ‘Danish Cabin’ and the eponymous Kudhva cabins. These treehouse-like structures stand above ground to give the best views of the coast and forest, while providing guests with a two-person mezzanine bed and plenty of space to sit and relax. As well as being close to the coast, the 42-acre site is home to a waterfall and wild swimming lake.
Tipis from £120 per night, Kudhvas from £137 per night (both are minimum two-night stays)
Glenmore Campsite, Aviemore, Scotland
Situated in Cairngorms National Park, Glenmore is the perfect natural retreat for a camping holiday. Surrounded by rolling hills and pine forest, the site has direct access to the beaches of Loch Morlich, where visitors can take advantage of the Scottish government’s lenient open-access laws to enjoy a swim (or several water sports) with the backdrop of the UK’s largest mountain range.
From £21.05 per night in low season, £36.40 in high season
A Little Bit of Rough, Rutland
With a secret location in rural Rutland (not too far from Uppingham), A Little Bit of Rough offers “Posh Camping in our four beautifully appointed large canvas lodges”. Surrounded by nature in the county’s ‘Spindleberry Woods’, the site is close to Rutland Water, with great opportunities for wild swimming and access to Rutland Water Beach. It’s proximity to Uppingham and Oakham mean that visitors can also explore these traditional English market towns.
Cabins from £200 per night (minimum two-night stay)
Barefoot & Bower, Gloucestershire
A family business (with close ties to the area) that sits in the Cotswolds, Barefoot & Bower is the idyllic result of an extensive effort to minimise ecological footprint and maximise sustainability. This luxurious retreat offers accommodation that mainly consists of lakeside tents (think tipis but wider, more spacious and without the pointed top), with guests welcome to swim in the lakes (named Calm Water and Kingfisher). Whether through working with local businesses and artisans or providing ecological enhancements for local wildlife, this intimate retreat provides tranquility with the option of nearby pubs and town if you’d prefer to switch it up.
From £190 per night for a minimum of two nights
Waterside House Campsite, Lake District
Found in the Lake District on the banks of Ullswater, Waterside House has direct access to the northern shores of the lake. Sitting at the foot of Barton Fell, this family-run campsite is an excellent base for mountain biking, walking, sailing, fishing, and paddleboarding, and also offers boat hire alongside camping amenities. Far from a run-of-the-mill campsite, Waterside has accommodation options ranging from simple tent pitches to tipis and glamping pods.
From £24 per night for a two-person tent, or £75 per night for a Lakeside Pod
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