The best swimming spots in the South West for camping this summer

Siân Anna Lewis shares her top five swimming spots for camping across Cornwall, Somerset, Gloucestershire and Devon. Handpicked from her new book, Swimming Wild in South West England which is available to order now with the chance to win a Dryrobe® Advance changing robe.

Cornish Tipi Holidays, Cornwall 

Dreaming of hiding away for a few days? Down a shady country lane near the North Cornwall coast is a hidden valley where you can sleep in a tipi or your own tent, cook freshly caught fish over the fire and dip in a limpid deep swimming hole. Once a working quarry, the pool hidden at the heart of Cornish Tipi Holidays is now filled by fresh water that turns turquoise in the sunshine, fringed by ferns and tall trees. Campers and glampers can go for lazy swims, clock up lengths of the 150-metre-long former quarry, mess about in the boats and canoes provided, dive off a floating pontoon and fish for rainbow trout for supper. Or just sunbathe on the wooden decking and watch the dragonflies that whizz over the surface of the water.

Lorna Doone Valley, Somerset

Fans of R.D. Blackmore’s epic historical romance Lorna Doone will feel right at home in this green valley, split by the small but crystal-clear river, Badgworthy Water, which divides Devon and Somerset. There are dipping spots along the river at various places, but one of my favourites is found next to Cloud Farm, a National Trust campsite with direct access to the river, so you can stay and sleep under canvas in this secret valley after a cooling swim.

Barefoot & Bower, Gloucestershire

The phrase ‘hidden gem’ gets bandied about a lot when describing swim spots, but I think itreally does apply to beautiful Barefoot & Bower. Tucked beneath the canopy of May Hill’s ancient woodlands in the Forest of Dean, this campsite, retreat and wild swim spot all rolled into one is perfect for anyone seeking serenity. You can set up your own tent, cook over an open fire or just pop in for an afternoon for a dip in one of the two lakes, which are edged by pine trees with pink lilies strewn across their surfaces. Accessed via a woodland track, this site is intentionally back-to-nature – don’t expect any frills, just a wonderful wild dip.

Cullever Steps, Devon

A wide, rocky river pool fed by rushing water in the wilds of Dartmoor National Park, Cullever Steps makes the perfect objective to a swimming walk across the moors, but it’s also easily accessible if you want to fit in a quick moorland swim or even stop for a picnic on a balmy day. Named after the stepping stones upstream of the pool that allow you to cross the East Okement River, this peaceful pool is easy to reach on foot and (once you’ve clambered in carefully on the sometimes-slippery rocks) very peaceful and refreshing to swim in too, and just deep enough for a few laps.

Black Rock Falls, Devon

Black Rock Falls is one of Dartmoor’s best kept secrets, and this pretty granite cascade into a plunge pool is well named, although I also love its other, more mysterious, title – the Witch’s Pool. The River Lyd runs through a valley near the village of Lydford, watched over by high moors, and you can walk along the water, passing small plunge pools, to find this deeper pool. Above it is a rocky escarpment with a plaque to the memory of Captain Nigel Duncan Radcliffe, killed in action in France in 1918. The plaque is engraved with some lines of poetry he wrote about this very spot.

Swimming Wild in South West England is available to order now. All customers who pre-order Swimming Wild in South West England from www.adventurebooks.com before the publication date of 7 May 2026 will be automatically entered into a prize draw to win a Dryrobe® Advance changing robe in the colour and size of their choice worth £175.