Wales is full of wild swimming spots waiting to be discovered, from glacial lakes beneath mountain peaks to waterfalls you can stand behind and tidal coves that only emerge at low water. Many are easiest reached by car, with the journey often part of the adventure.
In our recent study, we’ve analysed data to find the best-kept secrets across the UK, helping you discover destinations off the beaten path. From wild swimming spots and quiet beaches to hiking trails and mountains, these hidden gems are perfect for escaping the crowds and exploring somewhere new.
This guide rounds up the best wild swimming in Wales: mountain lakes in the north, waterfall country in the south, and the kind of practical detail (car parks, lay-bys, how long the walk in actually is) that most lists skip.
What Is Wild Swimming, and Why Wales Does It Best
Wild swimming simply means swimming outdoors in open water, whether that’s a lake, river, waterfall pool or the sea, rather than in a managed swimming pool. It’s had a real resurgence in the UK over the last decade, with many people seeking out quieter, lesser-known places to explore. Eryri (Snowdonia) alone is home to around 100 lakes. Add in its rivers, waterfalls, and spectacular coastline, and it’s easy to see why Wales is one of the best places in the UK to experience wild swimming.
Is Wild Swimming Safe?
It can be, with the right precautions. Cold water shock is the biggest risk, even in summer, so ease in rather than jumping straight into deep water you don’t know. Check conditions before you go, particularly after heavy rain, when rivers and waterfalls can rise fast and turn dangerous. Swim with someone else if you can, especially at the more remote spots on this list, where you might not see another soul all day.
How to Choose a Hidden Wild Swimming Spot
Three things are worth sorting out before you commit to a spot:
- Access – some places have a proper car park and a five-minute walk in, others mean a narrow lane, a lay-by, and a genuine hike, so it helps to know which one you’re driving to.
- Water type – lakes are usually calmer and better suited to a longer swim, waterfall pools run colder and often deeper than they look, and tidal coves need checking against the tide table, or you’ll turn up to find no beach left.
- How much company you’re happy to share it with – a few of the spots below are genuinely obscure, while others are well known locally but quiet enough outside a summer weekend.
Best Wild Swimming Spots in South Wales
Sgwd yr Eira, Brecon Beacons
Part of the Four Waterfalls Trail near Ystradfellte, Sgwd yr Eira is the one waterfall on the walk you can step behind, with a ledge running underneath the falling water and a plunge pool at its base.
The trail starts from Cwm Porth car park, and arriving early avoids the crowds that build up through the day.
Blue Lagoon, Pembrokeshire
A flooded former slate quarry near Abereiddy, the Blue Lagoon is known for water that really does run turquoise, framed by dark rock cliffs. It’s also popular with cliff jumpers, so expect company if you visit on a warm afternoon.
There’s a free car park in Abereiddy village, a short walk from the lagoon, though spaces go fast on a sunny weekend.
The River Usk near Crickhowell
The Usk flows straight through Crickhowell, and the shallow, clear pools near Llangynidr Falls are among the most accessible river swims in the Beacons. Flat rocks along the bank make it easy to dry off afterwards, which is part of why families favour this stretch.
Park in Crickhowell’s main car park and walk down to the river, or use the small roadside lay-by nearer Llangynidr Falls if there’s space.
If a family trip is turning into more of a UK-wide adventure, our guide to things to do in Scotland with kids is worth bookmarking too.
Cwmtydu Cove, Ceredigion
Taking the 13th spot on our list of the nation’s best-kept secrets is Cwmtydu Cove. The Afon Ffynnon Ddewi meets the sea here, and the result is a clean, sheltered swimming spot. The bay has a genuinely robust grey seal population, and spotting one surface nearby is common enough to be part of the appeal, though it’s a good idea to keep your distance, particularly between August and December when pups haul out on the rocks and beaches. The seafloor drops away quickly not far from shore, so keep half an eye on the tide.
There’s a small car park above the cove near Llwyndafydd (SA44 6LQ), reached by narrow, winding country lanes with few passing places, so take it slowly on the way in.
If wildlife-spotting like this is your thing, our guide to the best nature reserves across the UK has plenty more to seek out.
Llyn y Fan Fach, Black Mountain
A glacial lake set beneath dramatic cliffs in the Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) National Park, Llyn y Fan Fach is tied to Welsh folklore around the Lady of the Lake. It’s a short but steep hike in, with shingle beaches for an easy entry once you arrive.
A small car park near Blaenau, close to Llanddeusant, marks the start of the walk in and doesn’t take many cars, so it’s worth having a backup plan on a busy day.
Best Wild Swimming Spots in North Wales
North Wales is where the country’s wild swimming reputation really comes from. Eryri’s mountain lakes and waterfall pools sit alongside a rugged coast, and several of the best wild swimming spots in North Wales are only a short detour off the main road, if you know where to look.
Watkin Path Waterfalls, Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon)
One of the classic routes to the summit of Yr Wyddfa, the Watkin Path passes a series of connected plunge pools and waterfalls around 20 to 30 minutes into the walk from the Nant Gwynant car park. The water is strikingly clear, and it’s popular enough on a sunny day that an early start is worth it if you want the pools to yourselves.
The Nant Gwynant car park is pay-and-display and shared with everyone heading up Snowdon, so it fills quickly on clear mornings.
Llyn Cau, Cadair Idris
Sitting in a dramatic hollow on the eastern side of Cadair Idris, Llyn Cau is a deep glacial lake ringed by steep cliffs, reached via the Minffordd Path. Local legend has it that anyone who sleeps on the mountain overnight wakes either a poet or a madman. Whichever it is, the lake below is one of the best reasons to make the climb.
The Minffordd car park at the foot of the path is small and pay-and-display, so it’s worth arriving early at weekends.
Llyn Padarn, Llanberis
The most accessible entry on this list, Llyn Padarn holds official Bathing Water status, meaning its water quality is regularly tested. It has a gentle, shallow entry point near Llanberis, wetsuit hire nearby, and enough space to make it a solid first wild swim if you’re new to the whole idea.
Padarn Country Park has a large car park right beside the lake, making this one of the easiest spots on the list to just turn up to.
Llyn Eiddew Bach a Fawr, near Harlech
A pair of small lakes reached via a narrow, steep lane roughly 15 minutes from Harlech, then a short uphill walk. Llyn Eiddew Bach is the smaller of the two; Llyn Eiddew Fawr, about 300 yards south, is around four times the size, with rocky ledges and wide views back over the coast.
There’s no formal car park, just a handful of pull-ins along the lane, so this one rewards an early arrival more than most.
Rhaeadr Ddu, Coed Felenrhyd
Tucked inside ancient woodland above the Vale of Ffestiniog, Rhaeadr Ddu is a waterfall feeding a large, deep plunge pool that swimmers are only gradually discovering. The wood itself, protected by the Woodland Trust, has stood largely untouched for thousands of years.
A small Woodland Trust car park near Maentwrog marks the start of the walk, with room for a handful of cars.
What to Pack for a Wild Swim in Wales
- A wetsuit or swim robe. Even in summer, Eryri’s lakes sit around 12 to 16°C.
- Water shoes, since waterfall pools and rocky coves are rarely kind to bare feet.
- Goggles. Handy if you plan on swimming underwater or want a clearer view beneath the surface.
- A swimming cap. Helps retain a little extra warmth, especially in colder water.
- A tow float. Makes you more visible to others and provides something to hold onto if you need a brief rest.
- A flask of tea, a small ritual among Welsh wild swimmers and well worth it after a cold dip.
- A dry bag for wet kit on the drive home, so it doesn’t soak everything else in the car.
Wild Swimming Etiquette and Safety
Take every piece of rubbish home with you, and avoid pouring anything, food included, into the water. Many of these spots sit on private land or close to people’s homes, so park only where it’s clearly permitted and keep noise down. Check tide times before visiting any coastal spot, and check recent rainfall before a river or waterfall swim, since conditions can change within hours. The Outdoor Swimming Society publishes detailed safety guidance and is worth a read before your first wild swim, wherever you’re heading.
Plan Your Wild Swimming Road Trip with SIXT
Most of the spots on this list sit well off the beaten track: down single-lane roads, past the reach of public transport, or up a hillside. A SIXT hire car makes the difference between a shortlist of places you’d like to see one day and an actual weekend itinerary. If you’re starting from South Wales, car hire in Cardiff puts the Brecon Beacons and Pembrokeshire coast within easy reach; heading north, car hire in Manchester is the fastest way into Eryri and the Llŷn Peninsula.
Wales doesn’t give up its best swimming spots easily, and that’s rather the point. Half the pleasure is in the finding: the wrong turn that leads somewhere better, the lay-by you’d have driven straight past. Pack the wetsuit, check the weather, and go looking.
