Free, open all year2 miRydal Water
Rydal
Rydal Water is a small lake where individual recreational swimming is allowed, with public access from routes near White Moss Common and Pelter Bridge.
Places to swim near Ambleside
65 natural swimming spots within about 60 miles of Ambleside, sorted by straight-line distance. Open each spot for the season, booking rules and directions.
65 spots listed59 lakes and tarns4 waterfall pools1 river
65 spots in the Ambleside area
Free, open all year2 mi
Open to swim2 miMiddlerigg Tarn
Troutbeck Bridge
Small private lake in the Lake District National Park near Troutbeck Bridge, with public swimming generally permitted in most tarns.
Free, open all year3 miGrasmere
Grasmere
Grasmere is a lake in the Lake District National Park where public swimming is permitted and motor boats are prohibited.
Free, open all year3 miElter Water
Elterwater
Elter Water is a lake with public access to a small shingle beach on its eastern shore.
Free, open all year3 miAlcock Tarn
Grasmere
Alcock Tarn is a small upland tarn near Grasmere, reached by a steep footpath in the Lake District.
Free, open all year3 miScandale Tarn
Rydal
Small tarn near Scandale Pass in the eastern Lake District, reached by fell paths and suitable for an unstaffed open-water dip.
Free, open all year4 miWindermere, Rayrigg Meadow
Rayrigg Meadow, Windermere
A public lake-shore swimming area with jetties and an accessible path at Rayrigg Meadow on Windermere.
Free, open all year4 miLang How Tarn
Chapel Stile
A small tarn near Lang How in the Lake District National Park, reached on fell walking routes near Elterwater.
Free, open all year4 miTarn Hows
Hawkshead
Tarn Hows is a man-made tarn in the Lake District National Park, reached by a circular walking route from the main car park.
Free, open all year4 miLittle Langdale Tarn
Little Langdale
Little Langdale Tarn is a small freshwater lake in Little Langdale, accessed by footpaths and used for wild swimming.
Free, open all year4 miWindermere
Windermere
Windermere is a large lake where public swimming is allowed, with boats using the water.
Free, open all year5 miLingmoor Tarn
Lingmoor Fell, Chapel Stile
A small isolated mountain tarn on Lingmoor Fell, about 200 metres long, with rocky shores, heather and several small islands.
Open, free swimming5 miBrotherswater
Patterdale
Brotherswater is a small lake south of Ullswater, with a footpath around much of its wooded shoreline.
Free, open all year5 miEasedale Tarn
Grasmere
Mountain tarn in a glacial bowl above Easedale Valley, reached on foot from Grasmere beside Sourmilk Gill.
Free, open all year5 miGrisedale Tarn
Grasmere
Mountain tarn between Fairfield and Dollywaggon Pike, reached by a footpath from Patterdale along Grisedale Beck.
Free, open all year6 miMonk Coniston
Coniston Water, Coniston
Public wild swimming on the northern shore of Coniston Water at a designated bathing-water site.
Open, free access6 mi
Free, open all year6 miSmall Water
Sadgill
Small Water is a small lake near Shap in the Lake District where visitors may swim.
Free, open all year6 miHard Tarn
Glenridding
A remote, high mountain tarn above Ruthwaite Cove, reached by a steep pathless ascent from Grizedale.
Free, open all year6 miConiston Boating Centre
Coniston
Public swimming is allowed from Coniston Boating Centre on the shore of designated bathing water Coniston Water.
Open, free access6 miKemp Tarn
Staveley
Kemp Tarn is a small tarn near Ings in the Lake District National Park where open-water swimming is permitted.
Free, open all year7 miRed Tarn
Glenridding
Red Tarn is a high mountain tarn below Helvellyn's Striding Edge and Swirral Edge, reached by paths from Glenridding.
Open, free access7 miHarrop Tarn
Wythburn Forest, Borrowdale
A small freshwater tarn in Wythburn Forest, west of Thirlmere, with access from nearby car parks.
Free, open all year7 miWhorneyside Force
Chapel Stile
Whorneyside Force is a waterfall with a clear plunge pool in the Langdale Valley.
Free, open all year7 miLow Water
Coniston
A high-altitude tarn below Brim Fell and Coniston Old Man, reached on foot from Coniston.
Free, open all year8 miBlea Tarn
Borrowdale
Blea Tarn is a small lake in the Langdale valley within the Lake District National Park.
Free, open all year8 miBlack Moss Pot
Langstrath Valley, Borrowdale, Borrowdale
A deep rock pool on Langstrath Beck, with a narrow gorge, steep rock sides and a small waterfall.
Free, open all year8 miGoat's Water
Coniston
Goat's Water is a small tarn between Dow Crag and the Old Man of Coniston in the Lake District National Park.
Free, open all year8 miConiston Water
Torver
A large navigable lake where public swimming is permitted, with boating activity and public access at several shoreline locations.
Free, open all year8 miPotter Tarn
Potter Fell, Bowston
Potter Tarn is a reservoir and tarn in Potter Fell, near Strickland Roger, where outdoor swimming is described.
Free, open all year8 miAngle Tarn
Seatoller
Remote high-altitude tarn in the Lake District National Park with several shore entry points described for wild swimming.
Free, open all year8 miWood Moss Tarn
Grizedale Forest, Satterthwaite
A small tarn in Grizedale Forest near Satterthwaite where general Lake District guidance permits swimming.
Free, open all year9 miTarn at Leaves
Rosthwaite Fell, Borrowdale, Borrowdale
A shallow, reedy tarn in a hollow between the two high points of Rosthwaite Fell.
Free, open all year9 miCubby's Tarn
Grizedale Forest, Satterthwaite
Cubby's Tarn is a tarn in Grizedale Forest, within the Lake District near Satterthwaite.
Seasonal, free9 miWindermere, Lakeside YMCA
YMCA Lakeside, Finsthwaite
Designated bathing water on Windermere beside YMCA Lakeside on the lake’s south-west shore.
Open, wild swim9 miEsk Falls
Boot
A waterfall on the River Esk with a small plunge pool reached by a narrow path and steep rocky descent.
Free, open all year10 miWatendlath Tarn
Rosthwaite
Watendlath Tarn is a National Trust mountain tarn in Borrowdale, reached by a single-track road and surrounded by Lake District fells.
Free, open all year10 miSprinkling Tarn
Seatoller
An upland tarn below Great End, reached on foot from Seathwaite or Seatoller in Borrowdale.
Free, open all year10 miLanty Tarn
Watermillock
Lanty's Tarn is a small tarn above Glenridding in the Lake District National Park where visitors may swim.
Seasonal, free10 miConiston Water, Brown Howe
High Nibthwaite
Designated bathing water on Coniston Water, with public swimming and water-quality monitoring during the bathing-water season.
Free, open all year10 miHigh Dam
Finsthwaite
High Dam is a public-access tarn near Finsthwaite with paths around the shore and opportunities for swimming.
Free, open all year10 mi
Free, open all year10 miUllswater
Watermillock
Large open-access lake where swimming is allowed, with boat traffic and changing conditions requiring care.
Free, open all year11 miFell Foot
Fell Foot Park, Staveley-in-Cartmel
Public lakeshore swimming at Fell Foot Park on Windermere, with changing facilities, showers and water-safety advice.
Free, open all year11 miBeacon Tarn
High Nibthwaite
Beacon Tarn is a small upland tarn below Beacon Fell, reached by foot and used for wild swimming.
Free, open all year11 miDalehead Tarn
Seatoller
Dalehead Tarn is a small mountain tarn below Dale Head, north of Honister Pass in the Lake District.
Free, open all year12 miBurnmoor Tarn
Boot
Remote natural tarn in Eskdale Moor, reached by fell paths and flowing into the River Esk.
Open, wild swimming12 mi
Free, open all year13 miDerwentwater
Stair
Derwentwater is a large lake with publicly accessible shoreline where swimming is allowed, alongside active boat use.
Free, open all year13 miWast Water
Nether Wasdale
Wast Water is a remote, deep lake where public swimming is allowed in the Lake District National Park.
Seasonal, advice against swimming13 miDerwent Water at Crow Park
Crow Park, Keswick, Keswick
A publicly accessible lakeshore swimming spot at Crow Park on Derwent Water beside Keswick.
Free, open all year14 miButtermere
Buttermere
Buttermere is an open-access lake with shore swimming, no powered craft and a footpath around the water.
Free, open all year14 miRoundsea Tarn
Haverthwaite
Small tarn near Roudsea, in the Lake District National Park, where general national park swimming guidance applies.
Open, remote swim14 miDevoke Water
Eskdale Green
Remote upland tarn in the Lake District National Park, reached by a bridle track across open moorland.
Open, no lifeguard15 miBleaberry Tarn
Buttermere
Small natural mountain tarn below Red Pike and High Stile, reached by a steep walk from Buttermere village.
Free, open all year15 miScales Tarn
Scales
Scales Tarn is a mountain tarn in a glacial amphitheatre below Blencathra, reached by walking routes from Scales or Threlkeld.
Free, open all year16 miCrummock Water
Buttermere
Crummock Water is a clear, rocky-bottomed lake between Buttermere and Loweswater, with swimming permitted and no powered craft.
Free, open all year17 miBowscale Tarn
Mungrisdale
Bowscale Tarn is a remote corrie lake below Bowscale Fell, reached by a public bridleway from the Mungrisdale–Mosedale road.
Free, open all year17 miMuncaster Tarn
Ravenglass
A small tarn on Muncaster Fell near Ravenglass, reached by walking routes through woodland and open fell.
Free, open all year17 miFloutern Tarn
Loweswater
A small, high tarn below Great Borne, reached on foot via Floutern Pass between Ennerdale and Buttermere.
Free, open all year18 miBassenthwaite Lake
Bassenthwaite National Nature Reserve, Bassenthwaite
Bassenthwaite Lake is a protected lake with public lakeshore access and swimming allowed alongside boating and fishing activities.
Free, open all year19 miGibson's Spout
Bootle, Bootle
A small waterfall near Bootle, reached by a bridleway from a roadside parking place.
Free, open all year19 miLoweswater
Loweswater
A small lake in a wooded valley where public swimming is permitted and powered craft are not allowed.
Free, open all year20 miCogra Moss
Lamplugh
Cogra Moss is a shallow reservoir east of Lamplugh, surrounded by forest and accessed by paths from Felldyke.
Seasonal, free access21 miSilecroft
Silecroft
Designated coastal bathing water at Silecroft, with water quality classified as Excellent.