Wild swim spot in Pembrokeshire where water has a 'greenish hue' among UK's best

Yahoo

14-06-2025

A wild swim spot by the Pembrokeshire coast has been named among the best in the UK.
From Polurrian Beach in Cornwall to Stroan Loch in Dumfriesshire, and everywhere in between, The Telegraph has compiled a list of the best spots to visit for a spot of wild swimming.
The list was compiled based on comments from wild swimmers across the UK and a water safety website.
🏊 In May 2024, Sadiq Khan expressed an intention to make London's rivers swimmable within 10 years Read more ⬇️https://t.co/ylZhYayv4U
— Telegraph Travel (@TelegraphTravel) June 10, 2025
Introducing the list, the news outlet said: "We outdoor swimmers are all devotees of our favourite spots.
"We worship local patches of clean water, especially during a heat wave. But where can you swim safely these days?
"Only 15 per cent of England's river stretches have good ecological health, according to The Rivers Trust.
"But the good news is there are still places we can go in the UK for a wild dip that are safe, open to the public and far enough away from sewage works and fisheries.
"These are the waters we go to when the world feels too small, or when we want to trade the malady of the workplace for the wild.
"If our homes are still castles, think of these swim spots like stony chapels.
"They offer shaded banks for us to sit and ponder life and cool depths to plunge into when the mercury soars."
The best wild swim spots in the UK, according to The Telegraph, are:
Serpentine Lake (London)
Hampstead Ponds (London)
King Edward's Bay (Tyne and Wear)
Black Moss Pot (Cumbria)
Wast Water (Cumbria)
Catrigg Force (Yorkshire)
Slippery Stones (Derbyshire)
Rutland Water (Rutland)
Three Shires Head (Staffordshire)
Henley-on-Thames to Marlow (Oxfordshire)
Brighton Beach (East Sussex)
Walpole Tidal Pool (Kent)
Fritton Lake (Norfolk)
St Michael's Mount (Cornwall)
Polurrian Beach (Cornwall)
Keeper's Pond (Blaenavon)
The Blue Lagoon (Pembrokeshire)
Stroan Loch (Dumfriesshire)
Ardvreck Castle, Loch Assynt (Sutherland)
Ballygally Beach (County Antrim)
Pembrokeshire is known for its picturesque coastal walks, beautiful beaches and hidden gems, and the Blue Lagoon is most certainly among the latter.
The wild swim spot, which is among the UK's best, is a quarter-mile walk around the headland from Abereiddy Beach.
And boasting "excellent" water quality, the Blue Lagoon is well worth a visit, according to The Telegraph.
The news outlet explains: "Take a few strokes and the seafloor descends from view.
"You can kick off from the shelving, drift around your confines and float on your back, peering up at the shields of rock that keep the waves at bay.
"In the sunshine, the water takes on a greenish hue due to its high mineral content.
"The lagoon owes its unusual shape to human handiwork and the fact it was once a quarry. Follow a gravel path and scramble over rocks to reach the water's edge."
Have you visited the Blue Lagoon before? (Image: Getty Images) The lagoon also comes highly recommended by visitors, with a 4.3 (out of 5) rating on Tripadvisor (from 282 reviews).
One person, posting about the experience, said: "Weather you want to jump in or if you just want to watch others jump in this place is always worth a visit, with cliffs and bays all around there are plenty of walks nearby."
Another visitor added: "Great place to visit. The water in the lagoon is a Turquoise Greeny Blue and there were lots of Kayakers and people jumping off the walls into the water, including a dog who didn't want to miss the fun.
"It is a lovely place to walk, swim or just relax on the pebble beach. You do pay to park here but if you stay the day it is worth it."
A third commented: "Idyllic. What a beautiful beach with a stunning short walk down to the sand.
"Perfectly clean. Toilet facilities. Car parking (pay by machine or paybyphone app). Dogs welcome."
RECOMMENDED READING:
Pembrokeshire coastal trail with ruined chapel and pub at end among UK's best
'Genteel' seaside town in Pembrokeshire with 'glorious' beaches among UK's best
Three 'unspoilt' Pembrokeshire beaches named among the UK's best
Before you venture out to take part in a touch of wild/open water swimming, there are some safety tips from the RNLI you should consider:
Make sure you're prepared for your wild/open water swim - check the weather and tides, choose your spot, go with a buddy, and have the right equipment.
If in doubt, don't go out - no matter how much preparation you do, or how experienced you are, if a swim doesn't feel right there is no shame in getting out of the water straight away, or not entering.
Make sure you acclimatise to avoid cold water shock.
Be seen. Wear a bright coloured swim hat and take a tow float.
Stay within your depths.
Float to live.
If you get caught in an emergency situation while out wild swimming, call 999 or 112 and ask for the coastguard.